Janet Fenton, Secure Scotland and WILPF UK Executive Committee member, reflects on what the UN third meeting of the State Parties to the TPNW will mean for its progress, and what to expect when States meet for its first Review Meeting in 2026. This article was originally published by ICAN Scotland: https://www.nuclearban.scot
This May will see the final preparative meeting for the Nuclear Non – Proliferation Treaty (NPT) before both treaties separately are reviewed at the end of 2026, when comparisons and challenges can be discussed by all participants.
Exploring common security and disarmament includes promoting understanding of the complementarity of these two treaties. It is necessary to highlight the need for the UK Government to pay heed to its NPT obligations as one step and then to engage with the TPNW. At present, the nuclear armed states are disregarding the desire for nuclear elimination so strongly supported by so many UN states and their peoples. This disregard extends to the survivors of hundreds of nuclear explosions, including those which have damaged indigenous environments around the planet as well as to the Hibakusha from the Japanese cities attacked by the US nearly 80 years ago. When we hear talk of background radiation levels, these are radiation levels that have not been ascribed to particular events, although they may still be capable of causing cancers and mutations. Scientists now know from examination of icecaps and tundra, that at a certain depth (indicating dating) there is evidence that radiation was not present in the world before the nuclear age. Some refer to this as the start of the Anthropocene, when human behaviour is altering the material and geological properties of earth.
The rationale for disarmament comes through the recognition of the value of human life, human rights and responsibilities towards the planet that supports life. It requires a holistic view of the challenges we face and solutions we can achieve and considers whether nuclear weapons possession or use can ever be compatible with these solutions, or legal under International Humanitarian Law.
The TPNW takes the humanitarian and environmental consequences of the use of nuclear weapons as its starting point which includes a gender-aware and intersectional approach. The recognition of the value of human rights and women’s perceptions and experience must be regularly included, not only in the diplomatic chambers but at every level from the high street to the board room.
The TPNW recognises this and ensures that the evidence is presented by compassionate scientists and academics, and the testimony of the survivors – octogenarians from Nagasaki or the z generation and second, third and fourth generation survivors of Semipalatinsk, Kiribati or Nevada, all present at the 3MSP.
Militarily useless, expensive at every level, dangerous to everyone that comes in contact with them, it should not be beyond our powers to recognise that nuclear weapons are a terrifying liability for any nation state, and even more for any military alliance, including any putative Euro-bomb.
Full implementation of the TPNW is the only sane response to any discussion of nuclear weapons, the most indiscriminate, inhumane and destructive weapons ever invented. There are thousands of these weapons in the world. The threat arising from any use, deliberate or accidental, is of making the planet uninhabitable for human (and many if not most other) beings in a matter of days or hours. Nuclear disarmament requires us to challenge militarism, and confront violent masculinities and gender discrimination as well as to make major changes to prevailing political structure that presently confuse the use of violence and force with any kind of meaningful security.
The issues related to financing militarism, military alliances like NATO and the modernisation of nuclear weapons and technical weapons will come centre stage as European governments adjust their positions in relation to the Trump presidency and the changing ground in the middle east, eastern Europe, the horn of Africa and the Chinese leadership’s responses to a volatile and multi polarised world.
To protect people and planet, securing, prohibiting and eliminating nuclear weapons has never been more urgent, and the part that con be played by co-operative communities, rather than by nation states can never matter as much as they do now..
This is why the two review conferences for the treaties will require all of our support to progress common security for the earth and its people.
