Disarmament on destruction: a renewed push for a world without nuclear weapons

In the last days of the Second World War, when the idea of ​​the United Nations began to take shape, the atomic attacks of two Japanese cities sent a frightening warning to the world, of the terrifying destructive power of nuclear weapons. Eight decades later, in the midst of increasing geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts, the threat of nuclear weapons increases.

Highest level of threat in decades

In his message for the ‘International day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons« , Observed each year on September 26, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reminds the world that » nuclear weapons have no security – only the promise of annihilation « .

Nuclear disarmament has remained an absolute priority for the UN since its creation. In fact, the very First resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly In 1946, focused on nuclear disarmament.

In the decades that followed, the UN continued to lead diplomatic efforts in this direction. In 1959, the General Assembly officially supported the objective of general and complete disarmament. In 1978The first special session of the general assembly on disarmament said that nuclear disarmament was the highest priority.

Each UN secretary general has actively pursued this objective. The current holder, António Guterres, has warned several times in recent years that « geopolitical tensions and distrust have increased the risk of nuclear war to its highest levels in decades ».

“These weapons are increasing in power, in range and stealth. An accidental launch is an error, a calculation error, an act of recklessness « , » He said to Security advice Last year.

What is at stake

Although nuclear weapons have only been deployed twice, their shadow still hangs on humanity. Over 12,000 nuclear warheads still exist today. Their destructive potential threatens entire cities, millions of lives, the environment and future generations.

More than 50% of the world’s population lives in countries with nuclear weapons or are part of nuclear alliances. Deep concerns about the possible use of these weapons have intensified due to conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.

Many nuclear countries also plan to modernize their arsenals. The integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, raises the possibility of bad judges and misunderstandings, which makes the risks even more complex and unpredictable.

A renewed nuclear weapon race?

A Range of multilateral treaties And initiatives have been established to curb, regulate or eliminate nuclear weapons over the decades, helping – to a certain extent – to slow down proliferation and advanced disarmament.

However, increasing global instability and violent conflicts exerted increasing pressure on these mechanisms. The weakening of these executives may cause a renewed nuclear weapon race.

In 2019, the United States announced its withdrawal from the Intermediate Standing Nuclear Forces Treaty, which targeted the elimination of a specific class of nuclear missiles and, in 2022, a major magazine conference failed to reach a consensus on the Treaty of Nuclear Proliferation.

The following year, Russia withdrew its ratification from the full nuclear trial treaty (CTBT) and suspended its participation in the « New Departure » treaty on the measures to reduce and limit strategic offensive weapons.

These developments have led to increasing frustration about the slowness of disarmament and an increasing concern concerning the catastrophic potential of a single nuclear detonation: since the end of the Cold War, while the number of nuclear weapons deployed has not decreased, not a single nuclear warhead has been eliminated due to a treaty. There is also no active negotiations currently targeting nuclear disarmament.

Renewed elimination efforts

To mark this year’s international day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, a high -level meeting takes place on Friday September 26, while the high -level week of the general assembly fits at its end.

This initiative, established by a resolution adopted in 2013, is designed to educate the public, promote global dialogue on disarmament, highlight the advantages of a world without nuclear weapons and draw attention to the costs of maintaining these weapons.

This rally should mobilize international support to a world without nuclear weapons and reaffirm the commitment in terms of disarmament and non-proliferation, in particular on the historical occasion of the UN eightieth anniversary.