Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 3: Technical Community, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 3: Technical Community, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 1: Ricardo Campos, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Renata Brazil-David, Intergovernmental Organization, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 3: Aaron Promise Mbah, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 4: Alexandre Freire, Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Renata Brazil-David, Intergovernmental Organization, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 3: Aaron Promise Mbah, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 4: Alexandre Freire, Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The roundtable format allows for a dynamic and multistakeholder dialogue, essential for addressing the technical, regulatory, and socioeconomic implications of LEO satellite mega-constellations. This layout promotes interaction between speakers and the audience, fostering a more horizontal and in-depth debate, in line with the IGF methodology. The 60-minute duration is suitable for structuring the session into two segments: a first moment for sectoral presentations, ensuring a comprehensive view of the topic, and a second interactive segment, enabling active participation from both in-person and remote audiences. This model fosters the identification of dissents and consensuses, allowing for the creation of a collaborative knowledge repository. Additionally, it ensures that all perspectives are considered, promoting an inclusive and balanced debate, essential for formulating public policies and regulatory strategies regarding space governance, sustainability and digital connectivity.
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The roundtable format allows for a dynamic and multistakeholder dialogue, essential for addressing the technical, regulatory, and socioeconomic implications of LEO satellite mega-constellations. This layout promotes interaction between speakers and the audience, fostering a more horizontal and in-depth debate, in line with the IGF methodology. The 60-minute duration is suitable for structuring the session into two segments: a first moment for sectoral presentations, ensuring a comprehensive view of the topic, and a second interactive segment, enabling active participation from both in-person and remote audiences. This model fosters the identification of dissents and consensuses, allowing for the creation of a collaborative knowledge repository. Additionally, it ensures that all perspectives are considered, promoting an inclusive and balanced debate, essential for formulating public policies and regulatory strategies regarding space governance, sustainability and digital connectivity.
Policy Question(s)
A. How can the expansion of LEO mega-constellations contribute to universal Internet access without compromising environmental sustainability and global space governance?
B. What are the challenges and opportunities for connectivity in remote communities, considering costs, economic viability, and competition in the satellite market?
C. How can national and international policies balance security, digital sovereignty, and innovation to ensure that LEO satellite proliferation serves the public interest and promotes digital inclusion?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain a comparative understanding of the impacts of LEO satellite mega-constellations on Internet infrastructure in Brazil (Latin America), Germany (Europe), Nigeria (Africa), and the Dominican Republic (Caribbean). The discussion will provide an interdisciplinary analysis of the regulatory, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges, with a focus on digital sovereignty, sustainability, and universal access. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the session will facilitate a multistakeholder exchange of perspectives on spectrum governance, the economic feasibility of satellite connectivity, and its implications for technological autonomy in different regional contexts. Additionally, participants will explore collaborative tools, including a public repository to further research and inform policy discussions. Attendees will leave with a technical and well-founded perspective on the emerging dynamics of satellite governance, as well as the competitive, regulatory, and geopolitical challenges shaping the expansion of satellite Internet markets across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.
SDGs
Description:
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are increasingly deployed to expand connectivity in underserved areas, addressing gaps in terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure. However, their rapid proliferation raises critical governance challenges, including environmental sustainability, geopolitical tensions, and digital sovereignty concerns. This multistakeholder workshop will examine the opportunities and risks associated with LEO satellite expansion, focusing on universal and sustainable Internet access in Latin America, Europe and Africa. Despite the growing satellite Internet market, particularly in countries like the USA, European Union, China and Brazil, discussions on the economic feasibility, regulatory landscape, and sociocultural impacts remain limited. The session will explore key policy and governance issues, such as spectrum management, competition, sustainability, and global space governance, alongside community-led connectivity solutions in remote regions. Following the IGF’s multistakeholder methodology, the workshop will bring together experts from civil society, academia, and International and nationalities government agencies, ensuring a balanced and inclusive debate with representants from Brazil (Latin America), Alemanha (Europe), Nigeria (Africa) and Dominican Republic (Caribbean).
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are increasingly deployed to expand connectivity in underserved areas, addressing gaps in terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure. However, their rapid proliferation raises critical governance challenges, including environmental sustainability, geopolitical tensions, and digital sovereignty concerns. This multistakeholder workshop will examine the opportunities and risks associated with LEO satellite expansion, focusing on universal and sustainable Internet access in Latin America, Europe and Africa. Despite the growing satellite Internet market, particularly in countries like the USA, European Union, China and Brazil, discussions on the economic feasibility, regulatory landscape, and sociocultural impacts remain limited. The session will explore key policy and governance issues, such as spectrum management, competition, sustainability, and global space governance, alongside community-led connectivity solutions in remote regions. Following the IGF’s multistakeholder methodology, the workshop will bring together experts from civil society, academia, and International and nationalities government agencies, ensuring a balanced and inclusive debate with representants from Brazil (Latin America), Alemanha (Europe), Nigeria (Africa) and Dominican Republic (Caribbean).
Expected Outcomes
We recognize the need to democratize knowledge about the impact of satellite mega-constellations, given their role in universal Internet access and communication services. This debate can drive telecommunications development and expand access in areas lacking terrestrial infrastructure, like Latin America and Africa. The workshop will provide a comprehensive analysis of key challenges, including socio-environmental impacts, connectivity feasibility, sovereignty, and digital development. It aims to: i) foster a multistakeholder exchange among initiatives promoting digital inclusion; and ii) create a collaborative, public repository to deepen discussions within the Internet community, research centers, and social organizations. Aligned with Internet governance priorities, such as Digital Inclusion, Meaningful Connectivity, and Critical Infrastructure, the proposal also connects to IGF macro-themes like access, connectivity, digital inclusion, regulatory issues, and digital sovereignty. It reinforces the principles of universal Internet access, network stability, and a balanced regulatory environment.
Hybrid Format: The one-hour session will follow a plenary format with two segments. In the first segment, each speaker will have 10 minutes to present the topic from their sector's perspective, addressing the use of LEO mega-constellations and their impacts on Internet access. Speakers will highlight both consensus and dissent, fostering a comprehensive discussion. Given that satellites remain underrepresented in IGF agendas, this open dialogue is crucial. The second segment will be an interactive plenary discussion, encouraging both in-person and remote IGF participants to engage via the Menti platform. Sectoral questions will be prioritized to ensure diverse and balanced perspectives, in line with the multistakeholder methodology. This format aims to enhance engagement by valuing different viewpoints while ensuring a structured debate on the governance, sustainability, and accessibility of LEO satellites.