2024 SWF Space Sustainability Research Fellowship Results

In the replay of this webinar, please join SWF's Chief Director, Space Security and Stability Victoria Samson and Charlie JP Bennett, one of SWF's 2024 Space Sustainability Research Fellows, as they discuss his outstanding work on Evolution of Treaties: From Conception to Birth—How Are Arms Control Treaties Made?. Held on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 10 am ET/1600 CET, viewers can learn more about the characteristics of successful arms control treaties and what role different actors can play in their development and maturation.  

View Event Transcript Here

Each year, the SWF tasks its Space Sustainability Research Fellows with investigating and answering questions regarding one or more fundamental concepts underpinning space sustainability. In 2024, one of the focuses was on arms control treaty-making. SWF requested Mr. Bennett to investigate several aspects of the issue:

1. In arms control, what subjects and areas of activity lend themselves to treaty-making, and what subjects and areas of activity are not regularly conducive to treaty-making?
2. What is the usual process for the development of arms control treaties? What are the components of treaties? Who authors them? How does one decide who needs to be part of the negotiations? How and where are treaties drafted? How do they get matured? What is their development process? What factors affect deciding who needs to be parties to a treaty and when they enter into force? What roles do states, international fora, commercial sector entities, and civil society play in developing and socializing treaties?

For his research, Mr. Bennett interviewed 22 current and former negotiators, diplomats, and other experts directly involved in, or possessing expertise on, the arms control formation process. He also reviewed 10 specific treaties selected based on various criteria, including state ratifications, rates of compliance, and overall reduction of harm. 

Join Ms. Samson and Mr. Bennett for this webinar highlighting his findings, their relevance to current UN space security discussions, and a Q & A session from the online audience. Click here for more information on SWF's  2024 cohort of Space Sustainability Research Fellows. View Mr. Bennett's research report here.

For questions about this webinar, please get in touch with Victoria Samson.

About Charlie Bennett

Mr. Bennett is a visiting research fellow in space sustainability at Secure World Foundation, focusing on arms control in the context of space. He is a dual LL.M graduate in Public International Law and European Law cum laude from Leiden University in the Netherlands. Mr. Bennett's research emphasizes European and EU space law, particularly its constitutional, defense, and security aspects. He joins SWF as a 2024 Space Sustainability Research Scholarship recipient from the Space Court Foundation, where he works as a Legal Research Officer in European Law.