Non-nuclear weapons states, world leaders, non-governmental organizations, intellectuals, activists, and private citizens can pressure, petition, facilitate, and give recommendations to help states reduce nuclear stockpiles. The Federation of American Scientists claims that the U.S. and Russia have 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons in 2022. This is a legacy of the Cold War.

The START and New START Treaties have reduced U.S. and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The Nonproliferation Treaty prevents more states from becoming nuclear-armed states; it is ineffective in dealing with states with nuclear weapons that are not party or no longer party to it (e.g., North Korea, India, Israel, and Pakistan) and signatory states that are illegally obtaining nuclear weapons (e.g., Iran, which supposedly will soon obtain enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon); other than good faith, it has no mechanisms that reduce nuclear arms. 

The U.S. and Russia remain the most consequential nuclear powers on the planet. All other states with nuclear arms combined cannot unleash the potential destruction that each one of them can. Leading by example, participating in trust-building exercises, and participating in nuclear arms reduction regimes are possible ways in which Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Latin American, and African countries can help reduce the risk of nuclear war and destruction.

Latin America is a pioneer in creating nuclear-weapon-free zones in populated regions with the Treaty of Tlatelolco. The Treaty of Rarotonga, the Treaty of Bangkok, the Treaty of Pelindaba, and the Treaty of Semipalatinsk created nuclear-weapon-free zones in Oceania, the ASEAN countries, Africa, and Central Asia respectively. The Global North should follow the examples of these regions. However, domestic ideological and political challenges will likely prevent most Global North countries from becoming nuclear-weapon-free zones or banning nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty has been signed by 92 United Nations member states.

Short of banning nuclear weapons, the next best alternative would be to reduce the number of nuclear weapons and to prevent proliferation. The New START Treaty is expiring in 2025. The Nonproliferation Treaty is ineffective since non-party states and are not covered, there are no mechanisms for designated nuclear weapons states to reduce arms, and Iran likely will obtain enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon. The Federation of American Scientists believes that China, Russia, the U.K., India, and Pakistan are expanding their nuclear arsenal.

While it is rational for countries to expand their nuclear arsenal to deter against a nuclear attack, the security dilemma created by an expansion of a nation’s nuclear arsenal leads to a nuclear arms race. Poor Russo-American and Sino-American relations make limiting nuclear weapons challenging.

Like-minded people, non-governmental organizations and states aiming to diminish or eliminate nuclear weapons should participate in public diplomacy campaigns, provide input to negotiating nuclear arms agreements, conduct diplomacy to organize alternate nuclear arms verification regimes, and organize and train scientists for future verification regimes for nuclear disarmament. States which ban nuclear weapons should be trusted as potential fair and honest observers in nuclear disarmament.

S. Andrew K. T. LO. Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Ottawa; M.A. in European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (Carleton University, 2018); B.A. in History and Political Studies (University of Victoria); Research Interests: China, Russia, International Political Economy, Regional Studies, Central Asia.

Sources: 

*Federation of American Scientists (2022) Status of World Nuclear Forces.

Available at https://fas.org/issues/nuclear-weapons/status-world-nuclear-forces/

*Arms Control Association (2022) Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZ) At a Glance.

Available at https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/nwfz#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20Nuclear%2D

Weapon,spanning%20the%20entire%20Southern%20Hemisphere.