Purpose of this Call

As the 18^th Sustainable Development Goal: Space for All, on Earth and Beyond enters a more structured phase in 2026, Space Renaissance International (SRI) is inviting perspectives, reflections, and critical contributions from across its community and the wider 18th SDG coalition.

This Call for Perspectives is designed to complement the 18^th SDG Coordination and Dialogue Process for 2026. Its purpose is to ensure that the initiative benefits from a diversity of viewpoints, including critical, sceptical, and minority perspectives, while maintaining coherence around the agreed roadmap.

This Call for Perspectives is issued in the frame of the SRI IV World Congress (SRIC4), which will take place virtually from 30 June to 4 July 2026. The discussion, however, will not conclude on 4 July; it will continue alongside the further development of the Space 18^th SDG campaign.

This is an invitation to contribute to a disciplined, transparent, and pluralistic dialogue. While the process does not presuppose consensus or advocacy outcomes, it remains open to them as they emerge.

1. Context

The Space 18^th SDG has been articulated and advanced by SRI as a civilian, human-centred, and sustainability-oriented framework that positions space as an enabling domain for long-term human development and for the achievement of the existing 17 SDGs.

By 2026, the initiative has reached a stage where further progress depends not only on shared vision, but also on:

• disciplined coordination,
• structured handling of divergence,
• and the ability to learn from diverse disciplinary, cultural, and strategic perspectives.

This Call is issued in that spirit.

2. Who Is Invited to Contribute?

Contributions are welcome from:

• members of the SRI community;
• organizations within the 18^th SDG Coalition;
• experts, practitioners, researchers, and observers with relevant experience or insights;
• contributors who may hold critical or sceptical views regarding aspects of the 18th SDG concept.

Alignment with all elements of the initiative is not required in order to contribute.

3. Scope of Perspectives Sought

Contributors are invited to reflect on one or more of the following (non-exhaustive) areas:

• the role of space as an enabling domain for sustainability and development;
• opt-in, non-regulatory models for international cooperation in space;
• the relationship between information infrastructure and broader coordination or policy frameworks;
• the appropriate pace and sequencing of institutional engagement;
• risks, limitations, or unintended consequences associated with the 18^th SDG concept;
• alternative framings or starting points that merit consideration.
• Space 18^th SDG, Space for All, on Earth and Beyond: downstream and upstream technologies and undertakings
• the Space 18^th SDG: history, founding concepts, and rationales
• the Space 18^th SDG Coalition campaign: report from the works done and suggestions for the future
• the Space 18^th SDG Coalition organization, funding, and enlargement

Contributions that challenge assumptions or highlight tensions are explicitly encouraged, provided they are constructive and relevant to the scope of the initiative.

4. How Contributions Will Be Used

All contributions received under this Call will be:

• documented and reviewed as part of the 2026 dialogue process;
• reviewed as inputs to thematic discussions, working tracks, or future outputs;
• treated as perspectives, not as binding positions or endorsements;
• contributed to the Space 18^th SDG session of the SRI IV World Congress (SRIC4).

No single contribution is expected to represent the initiative as a whole. The value lies in collective insight, not uniformity.

5. Formats and Practical Guidance

To support clarity and usability, contributors are invited to observe the following guidance:

• Format: Short written perspectives, or equivalent structured input, intended as Congress paper abstracts or short whole papers for SRIC4.
• Tone: Analytical, reflective, or critical, but respectful;
• Focus: Clear articulation of the perspective being advanced, including assumptions, implications, and relevance;
• Attribution: Contributors may choose whether inputs are attributed or anonymised.

Additional formats (e.g. thematic discussions or dialogues) may be proposed as the 2026 process evolves.

6. Relationship to the 2026 Roadmap

The agreed 2026 Roadmap remains the operational backbone of the initiative. Contributions under this Call are not expected to renegotiate the roadmap, but may:

• inform its refinement,
• identify areas requiring further exploration,
• or highlight issues relevant to future phases beyond 2026.

This distinction is important for maintaining momentum while remaining open to learning.

7. Relationship to the SRI IV World Congress

The outcomes of the Space 18th SDG session will be taken into account for the Congress Final Resolution, to remain valid for the next 5 years, towards 2031.

The presented papers will also be included in the SRIC4 Acta and related publications.

8. Principles of Engagement

The dialogue under this Call will be guided by the following principles:

• openness to plurality and disagreement;
• respect for diverse disciplinary and cultural perspectives;
• commitment to constructive exchange;
• responsibility toward the collective process.

9. Next Steps

This Call is intended to initiate a rolling process of engagement throughout 2026.

Details regarding timelines, submission channels, and follow-up discussions will be communicated separately.

The next relevant milestones:

• Space 18^th SDG Side event at COPUOS Legal SubCommittee (April 2026), or at COPUOS General Assembly (June 2026) [tbc]
• The Space 18^th SDG Session, during the SRI IV World Congress, from 30 June to 4 July
• The United Nations 81^st General Assembly, September 2026, UN Plaza NYC US [tbc]
• SRI Special session on the Space 18^th SDG at the 76^th International Astronautical Federation Congress (IAC), Antalya (Turkey) [tbc]

Closing Remarks

The strength of the Space 18^th Sustainable Development Goal will ultimately depend not only on its vision, but on its capacity to host serious, informed, and pluralistic conversations.

This Call for Perspectives is issued in that spirit: confident in direction, open in dialogue, and committed to doing the work responsibly.

Upload your contribution here:

CALL FOR PERSPECTIVES – 2026