Moving backwards on Nukes- the Global Zero initiative

Iccho Itoh, the Mayor of Nagasaki said on the eve of Nagasaki Peace Declaration:

The atomic bomb survivors...cannot wait another 50 years. Their highest hope is to see the abolition of nuclear weapons within their own lifetime. It is a steep climb to this goal, but one from which we must never relent... ("Remembering NAGASAKI MAYOR”).

No city in recent history has suffered destruction on a scale comparable to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They were victims of nuclear bombings during the Second World War. It perished one hundred thousand people and injured half as many in Hiroshima only, flattening an area of three miles in radius. Radioactive rays kept causing cancer and birth of defective children for years to come. All it took to cause this devastation was one 4-ton nuclear bomb and a bustling city turned into rubble, in less than a second (“The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima”). Today, sixty-five years later, our planet hosts 30,000 nuclear weapons each having a destructive power thirty times that of the Hiroshima bomb, on average. Only a few hundred could cause the extinction of life on earth ("Demand Peace and Disarmament”). These weapons consume $1 trillion each year on the same globe where 15 million children starve to death annually. This paradoxical situation had no certain answer to it until a few years ago when the Global Zero initiative was launched by former key figures from politics, diplomacy and defense. Global zero is an international initiative aimed at total elimination of nuclear weapons from the world.

The history of nuclear weapons dates back to 1942 when Americans launched the first nuclear weapons project known as the Manhattan Project. Their first experiment took place in the same year the first nuclear bombs were used against the Japanese. Despite the horrific repercussion of these bombings; other countries were keen to follow suit. USSR and UK had developed their first nuclear weapons by 1950 and China, France and Israel joined the club in the sixty’s. Consequently, an arms race started whereupon every nuclear weapon state built up its nuclear arsenal. Such was the pace of their development that within 25 years of the first experiment, the amount of nuclear weapons was touching 40,000. (globalzero.org)

It was not long before the world started to realize the implications of further spread of this technology. To counter this, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty was introduced which restricted other nation states from acquiring nuclear weapons and called for the elimination of present stockpiles. However, the treaty has failed to achieve both these objectives. Nuclear weapon states now number up to nine and reduction of nuclear weapons has been minimal. Despite the initiatives taken by USSR and USA on the step by step reduction of their arsenals, their efforts are insignificant compared to the huge reserves that already exist. With the advent of new technology, the weapons are now more lethal than ever. Mounted on airplanes, war ships, submarines and missiles, these weapons can be launched in a matter of minutes. The slightest negligence can cause destruction of a magnitude beyond our comprehension. Even more disturbing is the fact that many terrorist organizations are aspiring to obtain this technology which would serve their sinister plans better than anything else.

Thus, the foundation of Global Zero initiative was laid in Paris in 2008. With the governments being too busy in promoting their own political agendas, the civil society felt the gravity of the situation and got together to find a concrete solution to this long standing issue and pressurize the capitals worldwide to launch effective measures in this regard. The declaration issued and signed by one hundred international leaders at the opening summit in 2008 called for “a binding, verifiable agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons by a date certain”. Members completely realize the enormity of this uphill task and a plan has been developed accordingly spanning over a time period of twenty years. The first fourteen years would pave way for various constituent agreements and the complete dismantlement would take place in the remaining period. USA and Russia will be the first to start the elimination of their stockpiles as currently they collectively possess 97% of the world nuclear weaponry. Nonetheless, this is by no means a resolute plan and further consultations and collaborations will take place with other nuclear disarmament groups in future to enhance it. ("100 International Leaders Launch Global Zero Campaign”)

This may seem an unachievable objective given the air of mistrust in international relations in the contemporary world. However, challenging though it may be, it’s certainly not impossible. With many head of states, including President Obama and Prime Minister Putin, putting their weight behind this effort, it has brought new hopes to the nuclear zero activists. A poll conducted by Global Zero reveals unprecedented support for a nuclear free world. Masses are being mobilized and education is being imparted regarding the possible threats of nuclear weapons. A petition has been put up on the official Global Zero website which is attracting huge number of signatories. A volunteer induction movement is underway to spread the message to all corners of the world. Global Zero Student Action has given a platform to the youth to voice their opinion about how they want their world to be; after all, it will be them who will have to put up with the decisions taken today. These, and many other efforts taken up in future, would surely not be going in vain. (globalzero.org)

Former US senator Sam Nunn says,

 Global Zero is like a mountain covered at the top by a cloud. The analogy is apt. You don’t know if you can make it all the way up, but it’s important to start the climb. ("The Aspiration of Global Zero").

 Regardless of the outcomes, what is imperative today is an all out effort. Leaving behind our so-called patriotic interests, we need to work together as citizens of this world. The opportunity is ripe; let us not give our future generations a chance to loathe us for our apathy. Global Zero calls upon everyone to be an agent of change and extend their support so that, through collective effort, the dream of nuclear free world could be turned into a reality!