Centre for Law and the Environment:
Satellites and the Law

Professor Ray Harris of the Department of Geography, UCL, coordinated the DPAG project, which was sponsored by the European Commission. It was essential for the success of GMES that the various information supplied to an eventual operational system can be integrated together. An obstacle to this integration is the variety of data policies that condition access to the data. DPAG documented the data policies of the variety of information foreseen for GMES, Identified the obstacles, and made recommendations on actions to improve data policy coherence.

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Satellites and the Law – An Analysis of Current Centres of Excellence
Sponsor: British National Space Centre (March 2003 – October 2003)

Although there are pockets of expertise in the UK in space law, there is as yet no dedicated specialised centre. The main aim of this project was to examine the activities of Centres of Excellence in space law with a focus on Europe, and report on courses that are being offered and core research activities and sources of funding. One of the issues that was explored was the feasibility of such a Centre in the UK, and how it could complement the activities of other European Centre's.

Earth Observation in the Legal Sector
Sponsor: British National Space Centre (2000-2001)

This study for the British National Space Centre (with the British Institute for International and Comparative Law, Nigel Press Associates, and DJ Freeman solicitors) analysed the applicability of earth observation satellite data across a range of legal issues involving geographical dimensions, including land use planning law, international environmental law and international boundary disputes.

A ship near the lower left corner of the image is seen on the satellite image to be discharging the oil into the sea – the plume is 5 km in length. (Copyright ESA 1996)
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Aperture
Sponsor: European Commission – Joint Research Centre (1998 –2000)
This major European sponsored project involving both technical and legal experts examined the potential for using satellite generated images in the enforcement of environmental laws. It particularly focussed on the admissibility of satellite evidence in national and European courts.

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EOPOLE – Earth Observation Data Policy and Europe
Sponsor: European Commission (1998 – 2000)

The European Commission sponsored a concerted action project under Framework IV entitled Earth Observation Data Policy and Europe (EOPOLE). The project manager was Professor Ray Harris of the Department of Geography, University College London, and the EOPOLE team was drawn from the academic, industry and government sectors in Europe. The primary objectives of the EOPOLE concerted action project were to review and coordinate relevant European national research in Earth observation data policy with a strong user perspective; and to identify and recommend improvements to Earth observation data policy with a distinctly European perspective in order to provide better conditions for the expansion of the Earth observation sector.

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