Natasha Barnes
The humanitarian approach to nuclear disarmament Natasha Barnes, PACDAC 17th CSCAP WMD Study Group Manila, 2013
"The existence of nuclear weapons presents a clear and present danger to life on Earth. Nuclear arms cannot bolster the security of any nation because they represent a threat to the security of the human race. These incredibly destructive weapons are an affront to our common humanity, and the tens of billions of dollars that are dedicated to their development and maintenance should be used instead to alleviate human need and suffering."
• • • • •
Austria New Zealand Norway Switzerland South Africa
Nuclear disarmament as a humanitarian action The case borrows liberally from: A greater international appreciation of global change, pollution Current modelling
threats such as climate
on climate change
Concepts such as human
security and the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ International humanitarian law (where the case can be made) The successes of the
Ottawa and Oslo Processes
Incremental
Comprehensive
(step by step)
(a new treaty)
Consolidate agreement around the humanitarian imperative to disarm
Fast-track Negotiate a ‘Ban’ treaty outside traditional forums
Deligitimise The role of nuclear weapons in security policy
Negotiate the framework and mechanisms needed for a comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention
Consolidating agreement? ICAN established NPT Rev Con final document ICRC Resolution Joint Statement (First Committee) ICAN Civil Society Forum Oslo Conference Apr 2013 Joint Statement (NPT Prep Com) May 2013 OEWG (statement by civil society) upcoming: Mexico Conference
2007 May 2010 Nov 2011 Oct 2012 Mar 2013
An evolution in disarmament advocacy? • • • • •
Presentation of information Use of information Focus of efforts Smart disarmament diplomacy State-sponsored platform
Delegitimizing nuclear weapons “One death is a tragedy, one million deaths is a statistic” Proponents aims to shift the burden on to states that possess and produce nuclear weapons to prove their continued legitimacy
Conceptual challenges – Overly simplistic – Does not address the question of extreme self defense – Difficult to pin down argument
Implications A distraction form work inside the NPT? Lack of consensus over outcomes Nuclear disarmament poses significantly different challenges that other conventional or WMD disarmament How would this process have any impact?
Support challenges • From the P5, and inconsistent support from states that rely on nuclear weapons through alliances • The coalition represents diverse opinion • “Appeals to morality tend to have a short shelf life” • State-civil society coalitions can be difficult to maintain
Civil Society Objectives Incremental Global Zero Step by step measures
Comprehensive ICAN
Abolition200
A ban treaty as a a model NWC tool to deligitimize originally prepared nuclear weapons in 1997 and subsequently tabled in the UN General Assembly by Costa Rica and Malaysia
Can the humanitarian approach be applied to the step by step approach? • • • •
de-alerting/ operational readiness, tactical nuclear weapons, nuclear alliances, further reductions (including reserve stockpiles) • Yield reduction
“when someone suggests a way of breaking the deadlock in the CD”
disarmamentdiaries.tumblr.com
"The existence of nuclear weapons presents a clear and present danger to life on Earth. Nuclear arms cannot bolster the security of any nation because they represent a threat to the security of the human race. These incredibly destructive weapons are an affront to our common humanity, and the tens of billions of dollars that are dedicated to their development and maintenance should be used instead to alleviate human need and suffering."
• • • • •
Austria New Zealand Norway Switzerland South Africa
Nuclear disarmament as a humanitarian action The case borrows liberally from: A greater international appreciation of global change, pollution Current modelling
threats such as climate
on climate change
Concepts such as human
security and the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ International humanitarian law (where the case can be made) The successes of the
Ottawa and Oslo Processes
Incremental
Comprehensive
(step by step)
(a new treaty)
Consolidate agreement around the humanitarian imperative to disarm
Fast-track Negotiate a ‘Ban’ treaty outside traditional forums
Deligitimise The role of nuclear weapons in security policy
Negotiate the framework and mechanisms needed for a comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention
Consolidating agreement? ICAN established NPT Rev Con final document ICRC Resolution Joint Statement (First Committee) ICAN Civil Society Forum Oslo Conference Apr 2013 Joint Statement (NPT Prep Com) May 2013 OEWG (statement by civil society) upcoming: Mexico Conference
2007 May 2010 Nov 2011 Oct 2012 Mar 2013
An evolution in disarmament advocacy? • • • • •
Presentation of information Use of information Focus of efforts Smart disarmament diplomacy State-sponsored platform
Delegitimizing nuclear weapons “One death is a tragedy, one million deaths is a statistic” Proponents aims to shift the burden on to states that possess and produce nuclear weapons to prove their continued legitimacy
Conceptual challenges – Overly simplistic – Does not address the question of extreme self defense – Difficult to pin down argument
Implications A distraction form work inside the NPT? Lack of consensus over outcomes Nuclear disarmament poses significantly different challenges that other conventional or WMD disarmament How would this process have any impact?
Support challenges • From the P5, and inconsistent support from states that rely on nuclear weapons through alliances • The coalition represents diverse opinion • “Appeals to morality tend to have a short shelf life” • State-civil society coalitions can be difficult to maintain
Civil Society Objectives Incremental Global Zero Step by step measures
Comprehensive ICAN
Abolition200
A ban treaty as a a model NWC tool to deligitimize originally prepared nuclear weapons in 1997 and subsequently tabled in the UN General Assembly by Costa Rica and Malaysia
Can the humanitarian approach be applied to the step by step approach? • • • •
de-alerting/ operational readiness, tactical nuclear weapons, nuclear alliances, further reductions (including reserve stockpiles) • Yield reduction
“when someone suggests a way of breaking the deadlock in the CD”
disarmamentdiaries.tumblr.com
