Stop Nuclear Testing Now: A Call to Action
August 29th is recognized as the International Day Against Nuclear Tests by the United Nations General Assembly, a day that marks the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing site in Kazakhstan in 1991. This site had witnessed a shocking 456 nuclear test explosions between 1949 and 1989.
During the period between 1954 and 1984, there was an average of at least one nuclear weapons test conducted weekly worldwide, with explosions exceeding the power of the bombings in Hiroshima. The radioactive fallout from these tests has spread globally, impacting various ecosystems.
Despite growing nuclear weapons stockpiles, public outrage led to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) being agreed upon in 1996. This treaty, supported by over 180 nations, aims to halt nuclear testing and promote non-proliferation and disarmament.
While significant progress has been made, current international uncertainties challenge the global norm against nuclear testing established by the CTBT. The risk of renewed testing or actual use of nuclear weapons presents a stark threat to international trust and solidarity.
On the International Day against Nuclear Tests, a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly will convene, calling on states to commit to the CTBT and end nuclear testing for good. It emphasizes the need for bold decisions to secure a final global consensus on this critical issue.
The authors, Ambassador Dennis Francis and Dr. Robert Floyd, stress the importance of learning from the successes of the CTBT and urge states to prioritize transparency, trust, and ultimately, the global elimination of nuclear testing.Enough is enough, it’s time to end nuclear testing once and for all.
