Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

UN working group on nuclear disarmament, May 2016

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Global Parliamentary Appeal for a Nuclear Weapons Ban

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), also known as the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is a landmark international agreement that aims to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the ultimate goal being their total elimination. It was adopted on July 7, 2017, by a vote of 122 members of the United Nations to 1 against (Netherlands), with one abstention (Singapore). The treaty opened for signature on September 20, 2017, and entered into force on January 22, 2021, after being ratified by the 50th state party, Honduras.

Overview

The TPNW is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of leading towards their total elimination. It prohibits signatories from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, transferring, possessing, stockpiling, using, or threatening to use nuclear weapons. Additionally, the treaty bans the deployment of nuclear weapons on national territories and the provision of assistance to any state in the conduct of prohibited activities.

Background

The push for the TPNW came from a growing international movement highlighting the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons use and testing. This movement, supported by a wide coalition of non-governmental organizations, such as the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), as well as many United Nations member states, argued that existing treaties such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) were insufficient in moving towards a world without nuclear weapons. The humanitarian initiative emphasized that the impact of nuclear weapons detonations would not be constrained by national borders, thus posing a global threat.

Negotiation and Adoption

Negotiations for the TPNW were held at the United Nations headquarters in New York in 2017, culminating in the treaty's adoption on July 7, 2017. The negotiations were boycotted by all nuclear-armed states and most of their allies, reflecting the deep divisions in the international community regarding nuclear disarmament.

Provisions

The TPNW includes provisions for the welfare of victims of nuclear weapons use and testing, as well as environmental remediation of areas affected by nuclear weapons. It also outlines a pathway for nuclear-armed states to join the treaty, requiring them to destroy their arsenals in accordance with a legally binding, time-bound plan.

Significance and Criticism

The TPNW has been hailed as a historic step towards the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. It reflects a paradigm shift in the international legal norm against nuclear weapons, establishing them not only as undesirable but also as illegal under international law.

However, the treaty has faced criticism, particularly from nuclear-armed states and their allies, who argue that it is unrealistic and divisive. Critics contend that the TPNW ignores the complex security considerations that they believe nuclear weapons address and that it could undermine existing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation frameworks, such as the NPT.

Current Status

As of the last update, over 80 countries have signed the treaty, and more than 50 have ratified it, making it legally binding for those states. The TPNW continues to gain support from non-nuclear-armed states and civil society, even as it faces opposition from nuclear-armed states and their allies.