NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION AT SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
Humanitarian and Environmental Impacts and Responsibilities of Hosting Nuclear Weapons
The United Nations Association in Scotland recently co-hosted a major international conference on the humanitarian and environmental impacts of hosting and transporting nuclear weapons. Alongside UN House, UNA Edinburgh, Acronym and the Cross Party Group on nuclear disarmament, this conference will form a central plank of Scotland’s contribution to UN decisions on disarmament in 2017.
This event, held on Friday 9 December and which also comes 30 years since the Chernobyl disaster, will address key issues about Scotland and nuclear weapons. Through creating a platform for nuclear proliferation to be discussed, this conference will tackle themes such as the humanitarian costs of nuclear weapons, avenues for reduction, opportunities for prevention and drives for disarmament. The final communique will be taken to the UN and will contribute towards the open ended working group, the total ban of nuclear weapons and the First Committee meetings on the ban in 2017.
Speaking ahead of the event, Executive Director of UN House Scotland, Gari Donn said:
“Whilst many Governments comprise individuals committed to a Global Ban on Nuclear Weapons, they require continuous grassroots pressure for their personal view to become mainstream and policy in their governments. This conference is part of the global groundswell – made so evident at the United Nations this year – to maintain pressure on governments to support the Global Ban.
“There will be two periods of meetings of the First Committee at the UN in 2017 which could change the face and meaning of ‘security’ forever. We need to make this happen”
An extensive list of highly acclaimed speakers will present their ideas over the course of the conference. These include: Dr Rebecca Johnson; Diplomacy Director – Acronym Institute for Disarmament; Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director – International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons; Ulrica Lunacek, Vice President and Green Member of the European Green Party.