Dr Gbenga Oduntan’s expertise in space law has been referenced in a parliamentary debate in the House of Commons.
Patrick Grady MP, member for Glasgow North, quoted Dr Oduntan during a debate about Space Policy on 14 January.
With reference to the Space Act of 2015, which gives US space firms the rights to own and sell natural resources mined from asteroids, Mr Grady quoted Dr Oduntan’s comment that it ‘represents a full frontal attack on certain aspects of space law and nothing but a classic rendition of a “he who dares wins” philosophy of the wild west.’
Dr Oduntan made this comment in an article in The Conversation entitled: Who owns space? US asteroid-mining act is dangerous and potentially illegal.
The article, published in November 2015, attracted worldwide attention. In it, Dr Oduntan argued that space mining provisions were environmentally risky and a violation of international law because the Act allows states, private companies and international organisations to obtain and own natural space resources.
The piece was used by media organisations across the world – including Reuters, Japan Times, International Business Times, Gulf Daily News and China Topix. It’s also had nearly 90,000 views on the Conversation where it was most widely read in the USA, followed by India and the UK.
In an earlier article published by The Conversation in June 2015, Dr Oduntan warned of ‘criminal and civil jurisdictional nightmares’ as space tourism outpaces the development of space law.
Dr Oduntan is a Senior Lecturer in International Commercial Law at Kent Law School. His primary research interests span public and private international law particularly international courts and tribunals; arbitration; international commercial law, anti corruption law; land/maritime boundary and territorial disputes; and air and space law.
His has published a number of articles and books on space law including Sovereignty and Jurisdiction in Airspace and Outer Space: Legal Criteria for Spatial Delimitation, published by Routledge-Cavendish in 2012 and Progressive, technological, policy and legal regime for the utilization of space solution for effective peace human safety and national security, published by Obafemi Awolowo University Press in 2013.
Watch the full clip of Mr Grady’s speech on 14 January online, via BBC Parliament.
Dr Oduntan’s TED style ‘Think Kent’ lecture on ‘Air Law & Space Law: spatial delimitation between airspace & outer space’ is available to view on Kent’s YouTube channel.