Nuclear weapons and law for the future

Nuclear weapons and law for the future: The application of principles protecting future generations in international tribunals By Alyn Ware* Paper presented at ‘Taking Legal Action on Behalf of Future Generations’, an international conference held from November 17-18, 2017 hosted by the University of Caen (France) and organized by Region Normandy as part of the […]

Human Security and the United Nations are vital to address the pandemic

The corona virus pandemic has highlighted how important the United Nations and a human security framework (versus a military security framework) are for humanity in this globalized world. Globalisation – especially international travel – has been a key factor in the spread of the virus. On the other hand, key elements of globalisation and especially […]

Containing the nuclear weapons corporations: Nuclear weapons divestment in the United States

The United States spends over $60 billion annually on nuclear weapons – more than the other eight nuclear-armed States combined. This colossal amount of spending on nuclear weapons is unnecessary, regardless of whether or not you support unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United States, or conditional nuclear deterrence until there is a multilateral nuclear abolition […]

Don’t drink the water – nuclear tests in Kiribati

Photo: Grapple nuclear test, Malden Island, Kiribati, 1957. Between 1957 and 1962, the UK and USA undertook 33 atmospheric (above ground) nuclear tests at Malden and Kiritimati (Christmas) Islands, now part of the Republic of Kiribati. The health of the Kiribati populations – and the military personnel from Fiji, UK, New Zealand and the USA […]

New Zealand and the new treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons

On July 7, 2017, the United Nations adopted a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (nuclear ban treaty) following 5 weeks of negotiations. 122 countries voted in favour of the treaty, demonstrating the clear and unequivocal acceptance of the majority of UN members never to use, threaten to use, produce, possess, acquire, transfer, test or […]

Nuclear sabre-rattling in North East Asia: Can Godzilla be tamed?

[Author’s note: Tensions and nuclear threats between North Korea and USA/Japan/South Korea have increased in recent weeks. This is a reprint of an article I published in 2013 when there were similar tensions and threats. The ideas in the article are again very relevant. This article is also available in: French, Portuguese.] Godzilla, a giant […]