What is the Declaration on the Rights of the Moon?

As a new space race kicks off, more countries and businesses are heading to the Moon and beyond.

A small group of space-thinkers and lawyers have raised concerns about activities that will take place on the moon, such as mining.

They have released a Declaration on the Rights of the Moon, which states the Moon has a meaningful existence of its own, independent of humans.

Why does the Moon need rights?

Flinders University space archaeologist Alice Gorman, who helped write the declaration, told RN’s Late Night Live that the Moon “isn’t just a resource for us to use”.

Fellow author Dr Michelle Maloney, a co-founder of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance, says the declaration takes a “rights of nature” approach.

The “rights of nature” is a social…