Abstract: Our world in the 21st century continues to be shaped by growing dangers of nuclear confrontations: the escalating tension between India and Pakistan, the increasing unpredictability of the Middle East conflict, the growing distrust between the U.S. and Russia as they walk away from bilateral treaties, and the failing efforts for a possible agreement with North Korea on a denuclearization goal. With all the twists and turns amongst all the players, it is surprising that we have managed to keep the world safe and away from a nuclear war for over seventy years after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki disasters. Indeed, some nuclear weapon possessing states continue to believe in nuclear deterrence as a priority in their defense plans. Current leaders in the world do not always act rationally, and there is a major challenge in keeping nuclear weapons secure from terrorists. Moreover, in this age of technological advancements, artificial intelligence and computing capabilities are slowly changing the art of warfare. Although the danger of nuclear war is very real, memories of the indiscriminant devastation of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the humanitarian impact seem to be fading away.
In this work, we begin by introducing the major holders of nuclear weapons. We next discuss important events regarding nuclear weapons in the world. We subsequently connect nuclear weapons to the modern era and discuss the role they play in today’s society. In doing so, we introduce some of the largest issues regarding these weapons that face the world today. We also highlight obstacles to denuclearization and the struggles that advocates of nonproliferation have faced. We finally discuss existing legislation regarding nuclear policy. While only limited attempts have been made, and even fewer have been fully enforced, it is encouraging that we are attempting to move towards nonproliferation. Following the legislation is a discussion of the potential negative impact of nuclear weapons. With such powerful technology, there is always a risk of major issues that could be devastating for everyone on the planet. We conclude by proposing our own solution to the problem.
In aggregate, the goal of our proposal is to create a more connected society in which nations can cooperate on nonproliferation. We also strive to ensure that more young people are aware of the issues surrounding nuclear nonproliferation. One of the largest issues facing nonproliferation is a lack of knowledge and desire to implement it; by informing others, we hope that the public will take a greater interest in nonproliferation. Our hope is that our proposal will be able to serve as a viable starting point to create real world change.