There are currently 12,121 nuclear weapons in the world, the majority of which have a destructive power vastly superior to that of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Nuclear weapons pose a genuine threat to the safety of individuals and peoples. They are without doubt the most destructive, inhumane and indiscriminate weapons in existence.

Cities play a key role in calling for a world that is fairer, more peaceful and free of nuclear weapons, and it is for this very reason that it is necessary to use the power of cities to demand that the world’s nations clearly and specifically commit to nuclear disarmament and take specific measures to achieve it.

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

On 7 July 2017 the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which prohibits all ratifying nations from developing, producing or manufacturing nuclear weapons and from acquiring, possessing or storing them under any circumstances.

Since then, many people, organisations and countries have asked states to be party to it. On January 22, 2021, the treaty has finally entered into force after accomplishing the 50 ratifications required on October 24, 2020.

Although the treaty is not currently approved by neither the states with nuclear weapon nor the member states of NATO, the aim is for them to reconsider their stance, given that such weapons contravene international human rights and are stigmatised by global public opinion. This same initial situation was true of chemical and biological weapons, anti-personnel mines and radiological disperse devices (dirty bombs).

Nuclear weapons were until now the only weapons of mass destruction that had not been declared illegal.