September 26th marks the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. On this day, countries around the world are encouraged to reaffirm their commitment to nuclear disarmament.
The nine countries that possess nuclear weapons include:
- Russia
- United States
- France
- China
- United Kingdom
- Pakistan
- India
- Israel
- North Korea
- Russia has the most nuclear warheads with 6,850. The United States is close behind with 6,550.
Nuclear weapons are considered the most dangerous weapon on earth. Nuclear weapons have such an intense explosive power that they can cause damage in faraway places. Besides wiping out entire cities, nuclear weapons have the potential to kill millions of people. The long-term effects of nuclear weapons are catastrophic. They jeopardize the environment and the lives of future generations.
Nuclear weapons have only been used twice. In 1945, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki brought WWII to an end. Nuclear weapons have not been used since. The United Nations hopes it stays that way.
Through the years, the United Nations has made many resolutions to eliminate nuclear weapons. In 1946, the UN created the Atomic Energy Commission to eliminate atomic weapons and all other weapons capable of mass destruction. In 1996, the UN created the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Although signed, these treaties have yet to be enforced.
In 2009, the UN declared August 29th as the International Day against Nuclear Energy Tests. In 2013, during a meeting on nuclear disarmament, the UN marked September 26th as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. To help make this a reality the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was signed in 2017. The treaty has yet to be enforced.
Source: www.un.org
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