NPT Review Conference: Nuclear Disarmament

UNIDIR and ILPI have produced five new briefing papers that analyse aspects of the 2015 NPT Review Conference, and the initiative on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. These papers can be accessed by clicking on the images below. 

They will also be available in hard copy in New York. These papers are intended to assist readers in understanding the NPT's work over the next few weeks, and to help delegations in their efforts.

In addition to producing these papers, UNIDIR and ILPI will provide comments and analysis on our joint blog www.effectivemeasures.org throughout the Review Conference.

NPT paper 5: NPT success and the humanitarian initiative

A range of initiatives is required to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world

By John Borrie, Tim Caughley and Nick Ritchie

Underlying the challenges for the next five-yearly review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in April and May 2015, which include lack of progress both on nuclear disarmament and the convening of a Middle East regional conference on a weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-free zone, NPT members have quite diverse priorities. 

NPT paper 4: On builders and blockers

States have different roles to play to complete the nuclear disarmament puzzle

By Torbjørn Graff Hugo

A focus on building blocks invites an analysis of roles and responsibilities for the achievement and maintenance of a world without nuclear weapons. 

NPT paper 3: Analysing effective measures

Options for multilateral nuclear disarmament and implementation of NPT article VI

By Tim Caughley

Recent public concern about the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons has helped to sharpen the focus on measures by which the international community could progressively achieve the eventual elimination of these arms. 

NPT paper 2: On the ethics of nuclear weapons

Framing a political consensus on the unacceptability of nuclear weapons

By Nobuo Hayashi

The absence of a specific ban on nuclear weapons under today’s international law mirrors our moral ambivalence about them. 

Paper 2 will be a focus of our joint side event at UNHQ in New York on 8 May.    

NPT paper 1: The humanitarian initiative in 2015

Expectations are building for the need for nuclear disarmament progress

By Nick Ritchie

Decisive multilateral progress toward a nuclear-weapon-free world led by the nuclear-armed states has not been forthcoming since the end of the Cold War, as many once expected.

Tim Caughley

Resident Senior Fellow UNIDIR