2017 saw 122 countries - but none of the nuclear-weapons states - support the treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons. Why is nuclear disarmament so difficult and what should be the next steps for those aiming for prohibition?*

摘要

Nuclear disarmament is, and always has been, challenging at all levels. The outright rejection of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) by the nuclear-weapons states demonstrates the difficulties for disarmament at an international level, where progress often gets stalled by geopolitical tensions and structural issues around verification. These challenges on the international stage are mirrored by a lack of political will at a domestic level, where nuclear disarmament is rarely on the agenda and is often perceived by the voting public as too abstract and complex for genuine consideration (Loretz 2018).