Description
T5.1
A total of 10 nuclear tests have been conducted since the organization of the CTBTO in 1996 and the International Monitoring System (IMS) has played a key role in the detection of 6 of these tests, all of which were conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The first one was on October 9 2006 which was detected by 22 stations and had a recorded local magnitude 4.1. The...
The CTBT is under a new threat. The 2020 U.S. Compliance Report charges that “Russia has conducted nuclear weapons experiments that have created nuclear yield and are not consistent with the U.S. ‘zero-yield’ standard,” and may also be guilty of a violation of the 1990 Threshold Test Ban Treaty. The Report claims that China may be guilty of similar activities. Similar charges have been...
Nuclear explosion tests are seen as primary source of testing the behavior and performance of nuclear weapon systems since nuclear test is the only credible source of validating the actual performance of a weapon system. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) propagates all-inclusive ban on nuclear testing, but cold test or computer simulations are not banned under the provisions of...
The aim of this paper is to present the CTBT as part of the whole Non-proliferation regime. It focuses on the different pieces of the “Global non-proliferation regime” highlighting how the CTBT is an essential part of the whole picture. The paper aims at analyzing the interaction and overlap among the different pillars of the regime such as the NPT, Safeguards agreements, Free Zone Treaties,...
The CTBTO is developing a global verification network through its International Monitoring System (IMS) generating data managed by International Data Centre (IDC). IMS and IDC can be used as tools for nuclear and radiological applications and emergency preparedness. Locally, in States Signatories, CTBTO ensures a science-policy interface for wide dissemination of scientific knowledge to both...
The Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) are undertaking a joint project on exploring possibilities for a science and technology review mechanism for the BWC. This project involves a background review of existing review mechanisms, a survey of BWC States Parties views around possible...
Joe Biden’s election victory offers a potentially historic opportunity for test-ban advocates to push for US Ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). This paper makes a case that President-elect Biden, a prominent advocate of the treaty over the past two decades, can accomplish this goal by following these four specific policy recommendations: (a) the President should pitch...
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) has not entered into force, due to the non-ratification of 44 specific states. It is still not on the top priority of NWS, especially the US; therefore one should not expect it to enter into force in the near future. It still needs to be signed and ratified by all major powers. The Treaty has been called a ‘dead horse’ by several international scholars...
The world is rapidly changing and this pace of change will be accelerated over the next decades in an unprecedented manner. Changes will be holistic and shall impact both human lives and behaviours in a profound manner. Technologies will change in their form and structures. Sources of energy for powering new found technologies will also change with renewable ones replacing the non-renewable...
The Chemical Weapons Convention is an international disarmament treaty intended to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons. The Convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons, and provides for the destruction of existing stockpiles. The Verification division (VER) provides support to the...
The ongoing trajectory of the nuclear arms race threatens the CTBT: resurgence of global competition between great powers; the existing nature of regional competition compounded by security dilemmas; the breakdown of existing arms control treaties between erstwhile Cold-War powers; and the pursuit of disruptive technologies, such as hypersonic missiles, and artificial intelligence enabled...
The measures required to be taken ‘consistent with international law’ to facilitate ‘the early entry into force’ of CTBT have already been exhausted. It may also be said that CTBTO has not on its part done the requisite homework to bring its operationalization. The ‘Conference of Parties’ is fully authorized to bring about, another set of measures which may bring it into force. There are...
Decision makers serving in policymaking organs of international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation instruments often consider and review information with significant scientific underpinning. Engagement with scientific communities helps to ensure that an organisation remains abreast of developments in science and technology, and can continue to adapt to emerging challenges and...
Legally-binding nuclear-test ban is essential to ensure peace and security for all. Throughout the years, we have witnessed international agreements on nuclear arms control that have come into force. Nevertheless, we still lack a comprehensive treaty that could prevent catastrophic impacts caused by nuclear testing. Putting a halt to nuclear testing is one of the most intense battles in arms...
Today, the world has started relying on science more than ever before. Scientific data is becoming a predominant factor in reaching collective global and individual national decisions. Human social needs and individualistic behaviour vis-à-vis lifestyles are also changing with more and more dependency on technology. This all is hinting at science and technology predominantly deciding the...
The emerging trends in South Asia’s nuclear politics are running contrary to global non-proliferation norms. The developing trends not only have the tendency to make the nuclear norms more vulnerable, but also undermine the security of the region as a whole. The emerging trends include preferential treatment of India in civil nuclear agreements and its potential membership in the NSG, growing...
Definitions differ when examining “spin-offs” and technology transfers in non-profit organisations and NGO’s (Goodman & Lawless, 1994). Weick and others (2003) have shown that the scientific community have been agreeing on the fact that a spin-off is a technology, originally developed to meet an organisation mission needs, that can be transferred to other uses and could potentially provides...
The CTBTO is recognized as a crucial disarmament and non-proliferation organization, and its monitoring technology and analysis methods are essential also for other key players like the IAEA and NPT, but its influence is not limited to security policy.
Economic and social development is dependent on a peaceful and secure environment, and on availability of resources, which instead of being...
The risk of deliberate or accidental use of nuclear weapons has increased in a global context that is in itself challenging for multilateralism. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its verification regime, despite not having entered into force, have contributed significantly to protecting humanity from the profoundly damaging environment and health consequences of nuclear...
