Citerank: (29) 55140Deligitimize nuclear weaponsTransform perceptions of the role and utility of nuclear weapons, from occupying a central place in strategic thinking to being seen as quite marginal, and ultimately wholly unnecessary.109FDEF6, 55149Threat from nuclear weapons is at least as great as climate changeThe problem of nuclear weapons is at least equal to that of climate change in terms of gravity – and much more immediate in its potential impact.1198CE71, 55151New U.S. and Russian leadership offers vital new opportunityThe apparent commitment of the new U.S. and Russian leadership to disarmament offers a vital new opportunity to halt, and reverse nuclear weapons proliferation.1198CE71, 55169US and Russia have 2,000 warheads ready for immediate launchThe U.S. and Russia each have over 2,000 weapons on dangerously high alert, ready to be launched immediately – within a decision window of just 4-8 minutes for each president – in the event of perceived attack.1198CE71, 55171North Korea may have around six nuclear explosive devices959C6EF, 55178Nuclear states can't argue weapons are necessary AND deny othersThe nuclear weapons states can't argue that nuclear weapons are an indispensable, legitimate and open-ended guarantor of their own and allies’ security AND that others have no right to acquire them to protect their own perceived security needs.1198CE71, 55182(1) Achieve a minimisation point in the short- to medium-termFocus in the short- (2012) and medium-(2025) term on achieving no later than 2025, a “minimization point” characterised by very low numbers of warheads (less than 10% of present arsenals), agreed “no first use” doctrine, and force deployments and alert status reflecting that doctrine.109FDEF6, 55183(2) Move from the minimization point to zero nuclear weaponsBegin to identify now the conditions necessary to move from the future minimization point to elimination—even if the target date for getting to zero can't be specified credibly now.109FDEF6, 55200Address the underlying causes of terrorist behaviour959C6EF, 55232Build proliferation resistance into nuclear facility designProliferation resistance should be endorsed by governments and industry as an essential objective in the design and operation of nuclear facilities, and promoted through both institutional and technical measures – neither is sufficient without the other.959C6EF, 55235Avoid increasing spent fuel accumulations in a large number of states1198CE71, 55236Multilateralizing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle959C6EF, 55239Multilateral verification / control essential to a zero weapons worldMultilateral verification and control of all sensitive fuel cycle activities are key building blocks towards a world free of nuclear weapons.1198CE71, 55240Establish a Global Monitoring and Advocacy CentreEstablish a “Global Centre on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament” to act as a focal point and clearing house for the work being done on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament issues by many different institutions and organizations in many different countries.959C6EF, 128328Nuclear disarmamentThe international community needs to make progress towards the goal of nuclear disarmament—and, eventually, persuade all of the existing nuclear weapon states give up their weapons.959C6EF, 128352Establish a Global Monitoring and Advocacy CentreEstablish a “Global Centre on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament” to act as a focal point and clearing house for the work being done on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament issues by many different institutions and organizations in many different countries.959C6EF, 128441Address the underlying causes of terrorist behaviour959C6EF, 128457North Korea may have around six nuclear explosive devices959C6EF, 128481Build proliferation resistance into nuclear facility designProliferation resistance should be endorsed by governments and industry as an essential objective in the design and operation of nuclear facilities, and promoted through both institutional and technical measures – neither is sufficient without the other.959C6EF, 128484Multilateralizing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle959C6EF, 128535Nuclear states can't argue weapons are necessary AND deny othersThe nuclear weapons states can't argue that nuclear weapons are an indispensable, legitimate and open-ended guarantor of their own and allies’ security AND that others have no right to acquire them to protect their own perceived security needs.1198CE71, 128588(1) Achieve a minimisation point in the short- to medium-termFocus in the short- (2012) and medium-(2025) term on achieving no later than 2025, a “minimization point” characterised by very low numbers of warheads (less than 10% of present arsenals), agreed “no first use” doctrine, and force deployments and alert status reflecting that doctrine.109FDEF6, 128589(2) Move from the minimization point to zero nuclear weaponsBegin to identify now the conditions necessary to move from the future minimization point to elimination—even if the target date for getting to zero can't be specified credibly now.109FDEF6, 128641Threat from nuclear weapons is at least as great as climate changeThe problem of nuclear weapons is at least equal to that of climate change in terms of gravity – and much more immediate in its potential impact.1198CE71, 128642New U.S. and Russian leadership offers vital new opportunityThe apparent commitment of the new U.S. and Russian leadership to disarmament offers a vital new opportunity to halt, and reverse nuclear weapons proliferation.1198CE71, 128655Avoid increasing spent fuel accumulations in a large number of states1198CE71, 128658Multilateral verification / control essential to a zero weapons worldMultilateral verification and control of all sensitive fuel cycle activities are key building blocks towards a world free of nuclear weapons.1198CE71, 128765Deligitimize nuclear weaponsTransform perceptions of the role and utility of nuclear weapons, from occupying a central place in strategic thinking to being seen as quite marginal, and ultimately wholly unnecessary.109FDEF6, 128838US and Russia have 2,000 warheads ready for immediate launchThe U.S. and Russia each have over 2,000 weapons on dangerously high alert, ready to be launched immediately – within a decision window of just 4-8 minutes for each president – in the event of perceived attack.1198CE71

Twenty years after the end of the Cold War there are at least 23,000 nuclear warheads still in existence, with a combined blast capacity equivalent to 150,000 Hiroshima bombs. The U.S. and Russia together have over 22,000, and France, the UK, China, India, Pakistan and Israel around 1,000 between them. Nearly half of all warheads are still operationally deployed, and the U.S. and Russia each have over 2,000 weapons on dangerously high alert, ready to be launched immediately – within a decision window of just 4-8 minutes for each president – in the event of perceived attack. The command and control systems of the Cold War years were repeatedly strained by mistakes and false alarms. With more nuclear-armed states now, and more system vulnerabilities, the near miracle of no nuclear exchange cannot continue in perpetuity.