40. The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapon's 50th Ratification

Ralph Hutchinson who is the coordinator of The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance whose main focus is stopping nuclear weapons production at the Y12 Nuclear Weapons Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and protecting the environment threatened by legacy and ongoing activities at the Oak Ridge Nuclear Reservation.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal being their total elimination. It was adopted at the United Nations Conference on July 7, 2017, opened for signatures by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on September 20, 2017,  the 50th country signed the Treaty on October 24th of this year and now will enter into force on January 22, 2021.

For those nations that are party to it, the treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons. For nuclear armed states joining the treaty, it provides for a time-bound framework for negotiations leading to the verified and irreversible elimination of its nuclear weapons programs.

The nuclear-weapon-ban treaty, according to its proponents, will constitute an "unambiguous political commitment" to achieve and maintain a nuclear-weapon-free world.

With Ralph, we talk about background on the treaty, what countries have signed it, what happens now that the 50th ratification happened, and ways to get involved for a nuclear free world.

Contact and connect with Ralph: orep@earthlink.net

FB Group: Nuclear Ban Treaty, nuclearbantreatyeif@gmx.com

RESOURCES FOR JAN 22nd: https://orepa.org/nuclear-ban-treaty-entry-into-force-resources/

More on the Treaty: https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/ https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26 https://www.nti.org/learn/treaties-and-regimes/treaty-on-the-prohibition-of-nuclear-weapons/ https://www.icanw.org/historic_milestone_un_treaty_on_the_prohibition_of_nuclear_weapons_reaches_50_ratifications_needed_for_entry_into_force