16. August 2010

The Myth of Nuclear Deterrence

A fantastic five-minute animated video directed by 18 year-old Erik Choquette, winner of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s 2008 and 2009 Swackhamer Disarmament Video Contests.

You can watch the video online at www.youtube.com/watch
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a founding member organisation of INES.

If you would like to learn how to survive a nuclear attack, see Duck and Cover, the 5-minute movie produced by the US Federal Civil Defense Administration in 1951 and shown in schools through-out the US until the 1980s.
Watch the movie here: www.youtube.com/watch

6. August 2010

The Million Pleas initiative of ICAN

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a global grassroots movement for disarmament through a legally binding, verifiable and timebound Nuclear Weapons Convention.

The Million Pleas initiative was launched on 6 August 2010. This initiative aims to gather one million pleas from people all over the globe calling on the leaders of nine nations to finally retire the bomb.

Please visit www.icanw.org/node/5313 to learn about the plea or visit www.millionpleas.com/ to add your own plea.

For a Nuclear Weapon-free, Peace and Just World
10th World Conference against A & H Bombs

2.-8. August 2009  in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, JAPAN

Further information and program please visit:
www.antiatom.org/GSKY/en/WC/e10wc/1005_wcinfo.html

2. August 2010

Nuclear disarmament appeals 1945 - 2010. A compilation by the World Future Council and INES

On July 16th, 1945, the first atom bomb exploded at the Trinity Test Site in the New Mexico desert. Less than a month later atomic bombs would be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 250,000 people. A week before the 10 year commemoration of the Trinity Test, on July 9th 1955, Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell published the Russell-Einstein Manifesto in London in which they urged world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons and make an end to war. To draw attention to the global responsibility of scientists and engineers, the World Future Council and the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES) have compiled an overview of relevant appeals made by scientific networks throughout the Nuclear Age.

30. June 2010

Does Deterrence Really Deter?

By Martin Hellman

Calling nuclear deterrence by that name was a stroke of marketing genius for selling it to the public. Unfortunately, that stroke of genius was also a potential death sentence for us all by hiding another, more ominous aspect of this strategy.

To deter someone is “to discourage him from doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.” Hence, deterrence implies that it will work, that it will deter adversaries from calling our nuclear bluff.

To read more please visit: wagingpeacetoday.blogspot.com/2010/06/does-deterrence-really-deter.html

21. April 2010

Political relevance of the NPT review conference in 2010

Interview with Joseph Gerson, AFSC

INES:  Dr. Gerson, in 1995 the governments decided about the indefinte extention of the NPT. Why are Review conferences held? What is the political importance of the one in 2010?

Joseph Gerson: As part of the deal made to win the indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995, the nuclear powers, led by the United States, accepted non-nuclear nations’ demand that review conferences be held every five year to monitor implementation of the treaty – especially Article VI which requires the nuclear powers to begin “good faith” negotiations for the elimination of their nuclear arsenals.

Consistent with its belief that unilateral U.S. military actions and threats could enforce what Vice President Cheney termed ‘the arranged for the 21st century,” the Bush Administration subverted the 2005 Review Conference. By refusing to agree to an agenda until the Conference was half way over, and then refusing to engage in good faith negotiations, the Review Conference failed to reach any agreements and collapsed in failure. This resulted in delegitimizing the Treaty, placing it in jeopardy and increasing the likelihood of proliferation of  proliferation of genocidal and omnicidal nuclear weapons.

Read on:  Interview Joseph Gerson

Is global zero possible? The future of nuclear disarmament.

Public event at the German Parliament on December 15th, 2009, 17:30.

Speech and discussion with Alyn Ware, coordinator of Parlamentarians for Non-Nuclear Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) and Right Livelihood Laureate 2009.
Initiated by INES, IALANA and IPPNW.
Paul-Löbe-Haus, Konrad Adenauer-Str. 1, Entrance west, room PLH 4400

German members of the PNND are invited as well as Xanthe Hall (IPPNW), Peter Becker (IALANA), Reiner Braun (INES) and Monika Griefahn (Right Livelihood Foundation).

For participation it is mandatory to register! Please contact Uta Zapf, Member of the Bundestag at utazapfbundestagde

November 4, 2009

Global Fissile Material Report 2009

The International Panel on Fissile Materials has released its new report - "Global Fissile Material Report 2009: The Path to Nuclear Disarmament".

The report charts some of the key technical and policy steps for securing verifiable world-wide nuclear disarmament and eliminating the world's huge stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and plutonium, the key materials for making nuclear weapons.
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September 24, 2009

US Leadership for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World at the UN

On September 24, 2009, President Barack Obama chaired a special session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) focusing on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The UNSC unanimously passed Resolution 1887, which calls for a nuclear weapons-free world.

Read press release of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
 

August 6, 2009

Hiroshima mayor Akiba calls for abolishing nuclear weapons

By Shizuo Kambayashi (AP)

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Hiroshima's mayor urged global leaders on Thursday to back President Barack Obama's call to abolish nuclear weapons as Japan marked the 64th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack.

In April, Obama said that the United States - the only nation that has deployed atomic bombs in combat - has a "moral responsibility" to act and declared his goal to rid the world of the weapons.

At a solemn ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Aug. 6, 1945, attack, Hiroshima's Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba welcomed that commitment.

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Geneva, August 5, 2009

International launch of new IPB publication:
Nuclear Weapons: At What Cost?

On August 6 a whole range of actions are organised around the world to mark the 64th anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima by atomic weapons. For 64 years people from all walks of life in all parts of the planet have mobilised to bring about their elimination. Nuclear weapons not only threaten massive destruction, but they also incur enormous costs. Apart from the damage caused by blast, fire and radioactive fallout from actual use in warfare, the weapons impose major financial, moral and political costs on nuclear weapons states and countries that host the weapons. The US alone spends annually over US$ 50 billion on its nuclear arsenal, and the global annual total is around $90 billion.

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July 1, 2009

This is the moment when we must renew the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking in the new Nuclear Age Peace Foundation video.

In 27 years of working for nuclear disarmament, the INES member organisation Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (www.wagingpeace.org) has never seen a better opportunity to make significant progress towards our goal of a safer and more secure world through the phased, verifiable and irreversible elimination of all nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has created a new DVD featuring U.S. President Barack Obama.

Become a member of INES to support the international movement for a nuclear weapons free world!
Application form

New International Scientific Studies (ISS) Publication on Science for Security

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) has a close and long-term connection to science. For over 50 years, scientists have been working together to develop and implement the most comprehensive and complex verification regime ever created. This regime is designed to monitor compliance with the CTBT by deterring and detecting any nuclear explosions conducted anywhere on Earth.

From 10 to 12 June 2009 around 600 diplomats and scientists from 99 countries gathered in Vienna, Austria, to present and discuss results from the International Scientific Studies (ISS) project that has engaged the scientific community since early 2008. The ISS Conference (ISS09) was organized by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

Read on

May 25, 2009

Facts on the second nuclear test by North Korea

On Monday, 25 May, the official news agency, KCNA, of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced its successful conduct of a second nuclear test: "The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of the measures to bolster up its nuclear deterrent for self-defence in every way as requested by its scientists and technicians.” It further claimed that the test was safely conducted “on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control. The results of the test helped satisfactorily settle the scientific and technological problems arising in further increasing the power of nuclear weapons and steadily developing nuclear technology."

May 5, 2009

Support for Recommendation on Nuclear Weapons Convention Negotiations of NPT

A significant opportunity has arisen this week to make progress on significant multilateral nuclear disarmament steps and to build momentum for the achievement of a nuclear-weapons-free world. On 5 May US President Obama sent an inspiring message to the opening day at the United Nations of the two-week long preparatory meeting (Prep Com) for the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference - the first multilateral intergovernmental forum for non-proliferation and disarmament since President Obama was elected. This set the scene for a speedy adoption of the agenda for 2010 ? something that was expected to be subject to political difficulties and delays.

read on: http://www.gsinstitute.org/pnnd/updates/alert_2009_05_11.html

April 24, 2009

European Parliament recommends complete nuclear disarmament by 2020

Strasbourg, April 24, 2009 - Today the European Parliament approved with a majority of 177 votes against 130 an amendment introducing the "Model Nuclear Weapons Convention" and the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol" (attached) as concrete tools to achieve a nuclear weapons free world by 2020. The amendment was introduced by the Ana Gomes for the PES and Angelika Beer for the Greens/EFA. The amendment received cross-party support (1) during the Plenary vote here in Strasbourg today. Especially Frieda Brepoels for the EPP-DE and Annemie Neyts and Juul Maaten for the ALDE called to support the vision of a nuclear weapon free world by 2020. The approval of the amendment (2) demonstrates that the EP is increasing pressure to make nuclear disarmament by 2020 a top-priority for the EU member states. Here the EP demonstrates leadership and an intention to become a visible actor following President Obama's statements for a NWFW in Prague.

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6. April 2009

President Obama Calls for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons

By David Krieger

In a remarkable speech for any American leader, President Obama, speaking in Prague on April 5, 2009, provided new hope for a world free of nuclear weapons. I state clearly and with conviction,he said, America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.He told his audience that America, as the only country to have used nuclear weapons, has a moral responsibility to act.

For many years the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has been calling for US leadership for a nuclear weapons-free world, based on the understanding that if the US does not lead, significant progress will not be possible.For the past two presidencies this leadership has been largely lacking. During the George W. Bush presidency, the US was the leading obstacle to nuclear disarmament. Now, with President Obama, there is a dramatic shift and the goal of US leadership for a nuclear weapons-free world that once seemed far distant, if not impossible, appears at hand.
President Obama's speech in Prague was a world changing moment, a promise of unprecedented historical change on the most profoundly dangerous issue confronting not only America but the world. In this speech he recognized the imperative for our common security of eliminating nuclear weapons and of America's unique moral responsibility to lead this effort.

He made it clear that while America cannot do it alone, it will lead by its actions. He called for concrete steps, including reducing the role of nuclear weapons in US national security strategy and urging other nuclear weapons states to do the same, reducing the number of nuclear weapons in its arsenal, working aggressively for US ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, seeking a new treaty to end production of fissile materials for weapons, strengthenin g the Non-Proliferation Treaty, creating an international fuel bank to reduce the risks of proliferation, assuring that nuclear weapons will not be acquired by terrorists, leading an international effort to gain control of vulnerable nuclear materials throughout the world within four years, and hosting a Global Summit on Nuclear Security within the year.

President Obama recognized that a world without nuclear weapons will not be reached quickly. He cautioned that such a world may not occur within his lifetime, and that achieving it will require patience and persistence. But this was not a speech about timeframes or deadlines. It was a speech setting forth a much needed vision and providing a promise of US leadership. He has taken an important step toward the goal of a nuclear weapons-free world by articulating this vision and committing to work toward it. Now a more comprehensive plan must be formulated and implemented.

With the political will that President Obamahas provided, it is possible that we could move far more rapidly toward a world of zero nuclear weapons than could previously be imagined.Political will and US leadership have been the most significant missing elements for achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. Now that these elements are in place, we may be surprised by how quickly the planning and implementation process can proceed toward the total global elimination of these unconscionable weapons.

President Obama is a man of great vision, a leader that sees beyond the horizon. When he encounters a problem requiring change, he addresses it and proposes solutions. His leadership on the issue of a nuclear weapons-free world comes none too soon.In his speech, he has faced the threat of nuclear weapons squarely. The vision and the initial steps toward achieving it that he has articulated deserve our strong support.

As President Obama noted, there will be many who will say that it cannot be done. But these naysayers cannot steal the future from those who seek a world free of nuclear threat or those committed to building a world at peace.The President will need the American people standing with him and saying, Yes, we can.

David Krieger is President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (www.wagingpeace.org).

20. January, 2009

Nobel Prize Laureates address US President Obama in an open letter to use the existing Model Nuclear Weapons Convention as a starting point for the path into a nuclear weapons free world

Today, twelve Nobel Prize Laureates and a former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations addressed US President Barack Obama. In an open letter they remind President Obama of his promise to seek a world in which there are no nuclear weapons. Pointing to the shortfalls of the existing international regime for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, Sir Harold Kroto (Nobel Prize for Chemistry), Member of the Advisory Council of INES, and his co-signers remind Barack Obama of the recent suggestion by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to use the existing Model Nuclear Weapons Convention as a starting point for the path into a nuclear weapons free world. ...

July 2008: INES and NAPF Appeal to the University of California

Stop your involvement in the development and improvement of nuclear weapons!

To the President and Regents of the University of California:
Universities play an important role in society. They are institutions that bring together experts to transmit knowledge to successive waves of young adults coming of age. In the process, they train citizens and future societal leaders. Universities should set an example to the youth they train and to the general society, reflecting the highest standards of civilization and ethical behavior.

Public Comment

The University of California and the Nuclear Weapons Labs

Dear Friends,

On July 17th, I spoke in the public comment session to the UC Regents about the UC's oversight and management of the principal US nuclear weapons laboratories.After keeping the public waiting outside for two hours past the time scheduled for public comments, the Regents allotted one minute per speaker.The article below is a slight elaboration on what I said in my one minute.

This Sunday, July 27th at 10:00 a.m., KPFK (FM 98.7 and 90.7) will broadcast a half-hour interview on the subject that I did with Blase Bonpane on his excellent show World Focus. After it airs, the show will be available at www.kpfk.org, and can be accessed internationally and 24/7 by going to archives and then clicking on World Focus. It is also available for podcast.

David

David Krieger
President
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
PMB 121, 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 1
Santa Barbara, CA 93108
www.wagingpeace.org
www.nuclearfiles.org

United Nations Flag Source: Wikipedia

Diplomatic Roundtable on the Nuclear Weapons Convention

On November 13, 2008 Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) joined the Costa Rican Mission to the United Nations, the Simons Foundation, the International Network of Engineers and Scientists against Proliferation (INESAP) and the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA) in co-sponsoring a day-long diplomatic roundtable at the United Nations in Geneva (Palais des Nations) on Steps toward a Nuclear Weapons Convention: Exploring and developing legal and political aspects. ... read on

An Appeal to the President of the United States

US Leadership for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World

Nuclear weapons could destroy civilization and end intelligent life on the planet.

The only sure way to prevent nuclear proliferation, nuclear terrorism and nuclear war – before the next blinding flash – is to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

The era of nuclear weapons must be brought to an end.  This can be done.  It will require leadership and commitment.  Nuclear weapons were created by humans, and it is our responsibility to eliminate them before they eliminate us. 

The United States, as the world’s most militarily powerful nation, must take the initiative in convening and leading the nations of the world to urgently take the following steps: ...

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Take Action!

Send President-elect Obama a 100-Day Agenda for Nuclear Disarmament

President-elect Obama Source: barrackobama.com

The incoming Obama administration has an historic opportunity to lead the world to complete nuclear disarmament, and all of us have the responsibility to make sure they stay on track.
President-elect Obama has stated, A world without nuclear weapons is profoundly in America's interest and the world's interest. It is our responsibility to make the commitment, and to do the hard work to make this vision a reality.
He's right: the work will be hard, but together we can accomplish this goal. Today we are asking you to take one easy step to make sure the Obama administration keeps nuclear weapons at the top of itspriority list.
We have created a 100-day agenda for nuclear disarmament. If President-elect Obama adopts this agenda for his first 100 days in office, he will set the tone for substantial progress on this essential issue.
Take a moment to read the 100-day agenda and, if you support it, send it to Mr. Obama along with your own comments. With strong leadership from the President-elect and support from you, a nuclear weapons-free world is not only possible, but within reach.

Click here to take action now.

INES at European Social Forum (ESF)

Malmö/Sweden, September 17-21, 2008

INES seminar at ESF:

Towards a nuclear-weapons free Europe and a nuclear-weapons free world

in cooperation with:

World Court Project UK
Swedish Scientists and Engineers Against Nuclear Arms (SEANA)
Pugwash Denmark
IPPNW Sweden

Friday, September 19, 2008
9:30 - 12:30

• Speech by Dominique Lalanne, Abolition 2000-Europe; Stop Essais
  Dominique Lalanne is Director of Research in nuclear and particle physics at the French Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
• Speech by John Scales Avery, Against Nuclear Weapons
• Visit ESF website

08.02.2008

Exhibition launch: 'The Nuclear Dilemma'

26th February 2008 at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva.

A unique visual-communication project about the history of nuclear technology; providing valuable tools for people to form clear perspectives on its past and present uses and enabling dialogue and research for a safer future.

Produced by REAL Exhibition Development. Co-produced by The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva

Supported by INES

www.nucleardilemma.org
infonucleardilemmaorg

Press Info: download here
Introduction: download here

Upcoming presentations:

26th February - 29th July 2008
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva.
visit website

9th September - 9th January 2009
Gernika Peace Museum, Spain
visit website

March - May 2009
World House of Culture, Berlin, Germany
visit website

03.04.2006

Appeal to European and World Leaders to eliminate the Nuclear Weapons Threat

The threat of nuclear annihilation, by accident or design, remains the gravest threat to civilization confronting Europe and the World. The 480 US nuclear weapons based in Europe contribute to this threat. We call upon European and World leaders to take action in confronting and ending this threat.

For the safety and security of the peoples of Europe and the World, we appeal:

To the leaders of the non-nuclear European governments, to move toward the elimination of the nuclear weapons threat.

Abolition 2000

Past, Present and Future

In May 1995, during the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review and Extension Conference at the United Nations in New York, citizen action groups from around the world recognized that the declared nuclear weapons states were unwilling to discuss complete nuclear disarmament as stipulated in the treaty .These organizations drafted an Abolition Statement that would become the founding document of the Abolition 2000 Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons.

In 2001, Abolition 2000 held its annual general meeting in Saffron Walden, UK. The participants of the conference adopted a declaration which...

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