A nuclear-weapon-free world: from non-proliferation to abolition

Abstract

Unless nuclear weapons are not prohibited by international law, unless they are not totally abolished, the threat and danger of nuclear weapons cannot be eliminated. Though the size of nuclear inventory has drastically decreased compared to the Cold War period, the remaining 15000 nuclear weapons can destroy our planet several times over. The NPT of 1968 played an important role to limit vertical and horizontal proliferation. Thanks to this treaty, five NWFZs have been established that cover the territories of more than 100 countries. In addition, possibilities of setting up a non-traditional single-state NWFZ have opened thanks
to Mongolia’s efforts to institutionalize its single-state NWFZ since 1992. In the past, the WHO and UN General Assembly brought the issue of the legality of the use of nuclear weapons before the International Court of Justice in 1993 and 1996 respectively. Though both attempts were unsuccessful, it gave hope to many people that the world can one day prohibit nuclear weapons by international law. The last big achievement on the abolitionist front was the fact that UN General Assembly finally adopted a landmark resolution on 27 October 2016, to launch negotiations in March 2017 on a treaty outlawing nuclear weapons.