September 26th is the United Nations’ International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. One year on from the historic adoption of an international treaty which aims to make these weapons illegal, it is urgent that we step up the treaty’s implementation and remind ourselves why these weapons of mass destruction must be banned to build a peaceful world.
1) Nuclear weapons cause catastrophic harm
“My beloved city of Hiroshima suddenly became desolation, with heaps of ash and rubble, skeletons and blackened corpses.” Setsuko Thurlow, Hibakusha (survivor) of the Hiroshima bombing.
This haunting witness account reminds us of the enormous destructive power of nuclear weapons. Hitting civilians and soldiers indiscriminately, they wreak devastation and have long-term radiation effects that affect future generations.
Used twice in wartime, in 1945, on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, around a quarter of a million civilians were incinerated in an instant or were subjected to horrendous deaths in the weeks and months following the attacks.
2) Nuclear weapons are pointless
What defence can the atomic bomb provide against the main threats of our era, such as climate change, terrorism or cyber-attacks? Nuclear weapons are totally obsolete and unable to meet today’s challenges. On the contrary, far from maintaining peace, they fuel fear and distrust between countries.
3) Nuclear weapons cost us a fortune
While nuclear arsenals have decreased since the mid-1980s, the budgetary expenditure related to nuclear weapons is constantly on the rise. This pattern of spending of public money is found in all states which possess nuclear weapons. According to estimates (Global Zero, 2011) it’s close to $1000 billion for the decade of 2010-2020.
Imagine if this money went instead to health, education, the fight against climate change, assistance to survivors, and other services to ensure human security.
4) Nuclear weapons carry huge proliferation risks
Proliferation is the risk that states that have nuclear weapons increase their weapon stockpiles or that new states become nuclear-armed. To combat these huge risks, an international non-proliferation treaty entered into force in 1970 with the aims to prevent non-nuclear states from developing nuclear weapons, and to get nuclear states to reduce their arsenals.
Unfortunately, these undertakings remain for the most part empty rhetoric. How can it be possible to claim that the security of a nation is based on a nuclear deterrence policy when at the same time other nations are asked not to use this means of “security”?
5) Nuclear weapons are the only weapons of mass destruction which have not yet been (really) banned
But this could change soon. While biological and chemical weapons have been prohibited worldwide, since 1972 and 1993 respectively, nuclear weapons have not been constrained up to now. This is a legal anomaly which is in the process of being fully corrected with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which is set to come into force in 2020, and was adopted in 2017 by 122 states at the United Nations.
Of course, states that have nuclear weapons, including France, have boycotted this Treaty. But the pressure on the nine nuclear-armed states is building – from the growing number of nations and financial institutions who are ceasing to invest in the production of these weapons systems, to thousands of people speaking out across the globe.
So what can we do?
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is a roadmap to achieving the total elimination of these weapons of mass destruction. To enter into force, the Treaty must be signed and ratified by 50 countries. To date, there are 15 ratifications and 60 signatures.
Let’s keep up the pressure on governments to put an end to nuclear proliferation and to strengthen international security.
Together, we can show that we want a safer world without nuclear weapons! Show your support for peace by sharing this message on Twitter and Facebook.
Jen Maman is the Senior Peace Advisor at Greenpeace International
Discussion
No country would feel threatened if there was no nuclear. Ban the threat worldwide now.
Nuclear weapons will never be used because using them will cause mass destruction of the entire world. They have also prevented major global world wars because of that. The standard procedure is to nuke a country back if it nukes you. No government leader would be stupid enough to end his peoples lives, his life, and the earth. Also, more than one person decides on launcing nukes. And how exactly is the US supposed to protect the 51 countries it has aliiences with, with no nukes? And countries are like North Korea are not going to easily give them up. I mean you can try, but you'll probably never achive anything greenpeace.
They going to set them off just as the ocean turns into acid within 50 years. earth is dying, or can't you see that we are the virus. imagine we could see the bombs pointing at us from the sky, I'm sure people will become aware of this problem. so as an activist will ''I vanish if I protest?, lots of money involved, people will die doing the right thing. The 80's are over and the effort made by thankless souls against the most evil thing that will end it all.
Thank you this helped me in my debate
Nuclear weapons are a supreme example of human folly. Available resources should instead be invested in developing peaceful and enduring resolutions to problems in the world.
This has to stop!
I am also with you. I have seen that now also in Hiroshima and Nagasaki the children which are broning have some problem because of nuclear bomb.
Lets get rid of nukes gradually. Every year, we should get rid of 9/10 of our nukes and can´t make any more. Eventually we´ll hit 0.
https://www.voicesofyouth.org/blog/do-we-need-nuclear-weapons
should be nuclear weapons be banned?
should nuclear weapons be banned?
Yes
you are good about tis
I'm for PEACE and SAVING US!
I would love for the human race to grow up and take responsibility for creation instead of pettyminded toddler behaviour of blane culture and fighting. Seriously? Lets grow up now.
This is a scary world anyway with global warming causing eratic and dangerous weather conditions and the constant worry of East/West tensions please get rid of the threat of Nuclear
I have two modern dosimeters to measure radiation exposure. The readings say that the public limit for radiation has been reached. I measured myself at 0.22 microsiverts and another person at 0.27 microsiverts at maximum. This is above the yearly dose rate for the public I think. I live on an Island in the Atlantic with no nuclear plants or nukes. It really is stupid aggressive extinction technology and should be decommissioned safely.
I signed the original letter to ban these back in the 90s and want them gone once and for all. We need to have peace and learn to love and respect man kind.
Free the earth of all weapons of mass destruction
yes
Not funny
who said it was funny