Hiroshima Report 2024(3) Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons
A) Main arguments
Discussions on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons began at the Oslo Conference in 2013, and continued through the Nayarit and Vienna Conferences in 2014. Since the 2015 NPT RevCon, the Humanitarian Group, which focuses on the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear weapons, has emphasized the significance of starting negotiations on a legally binding instrument on prohibiting nuclear weapons. The result was the adoption of the TPNW in 2017.
At the NPT PrepCom in 2023, a number of NNWS referred to the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear weapons. For instance, the NAM countries argued that “any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons would be a crime against humanity and a violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, in particular international humanitarian law.”32 In their joint statement, the state parties and signatory states to the TPNW stated, “Any use of nuclear weapons would inflict indiscriminate destruction, death and displacement, as well as profound long-term damage to the environment, ecosystems and sustainable development, impact the global economy, food security and the health of current and future generations, including a disproportionate impact they have on women and girls.”33 The NAC also “call[ed] upon States to continue building our collective understanding of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, including the disproportionate gendered impact of ionizing radiation, and the widespread impact of nuclear testing in the Pacific and elsewhere.”34
Austria introduced that it had commissioned the University of York to prepare an overview over the recent peer-reviewed scientific findings on the humanitarian consequences and risks of nuclear weapons.35 Japan said, “As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during war, Japan is fully aware of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons. Such tragedy must never be repeated again.”36
At the UNGA in 2023, as in the previous year, countries mainly belonging to the Humanitarian Group proposed a resolution titled “Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons.”37 The resolution, inter alia, “[s]tresses that the catastrophic effects of a nuclear weapon detonation … cannot be adequately addressed,” and called to prevent the use of nuclear weapons and to achieve nuclear disarmament. The voting behavior of countries surveyed in this project on this resolution is as follows:
➢ 141 in favor (Austria, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Syria and others); 11 against (France, Israel, Poland, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and others); 33 abstentions (Australia, Canada, China, Germany, South Korea, North Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden, Turkey and others)
Furthermore, voting behavior on the resolution titled “Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world,”38 which emphasized the inherent immorality of nuclear weapons and the need for their elimination, led by the Humanitarian Group countries, was:
➢ 135 in favor (Austria, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syria and others); 38 against (Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, South Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and others), 12 abstentions (China, India, Japan, North Korea, Pakistan, Switzerland and others)
As in the previous year, the UNGA resolution on nuclear disarmament led by Japan in 2023 stated, “Reiterating deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and reaffirming that this awareness ought to continue to underpin our approaches and efforts towards nuclear disarmament, and welcoming the visits of leaders, youth and others to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in this regard.”
B) Victim assistance and environmental remediation
Assistance to victims of nuclear weapons-related activities, including their use, test and production, and remediation of the contaminated environment are also important from the perspective of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. Article 6 of the TPNW stipulates provision of assistance to victims affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, and implementation of necessary and appropriate measures towards the environmental remediation of areas so contaminated. There are also some cases that countries which have not signed or ratified the TPNW addressed on an individual basis.
At the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (2MSP), Kazakhstan and Kiribati, as co-facilitators for these issues, submitted the “Report of the Co-Chairs of the informal working group on victim assistance, environmental remediation, international cooperation and assistance.” The Decision 4, which was adopted at the 2MSP, stipulated that “focused discussions will be held under the informal working group on victim assistance, environmental remediation, international cooperation and assistance”; and “a report will be submitted to the third Meeting of States Parties with recommendations related to the feasibility of, and possible guidelines for, the establishment of an international trust fund for victim assistance and environmental remediation, with the aim of examining the establishment of such a trust fund at the third Meeting of States Parties as a priority.”
At the NPT PrepCom in 2023, Kazakhstan and Kiribati stated in their joint statement:39
➢ “[NWS] must recognize the necessity of helping victims of nuclear weapons and remediating contaminated environments. In this regard, we urge the [NWS] and their allies to support nuclear justice initiatives in order to address the nuclear harm from the past development, testing and use of nuclear weapons.”
➢ “We urge the [NWS] to also recognize that beyond the physical harm caused by nuclear weapons and long-term genetic disturbances, victims also continue to experience posttraumatic stress disorders and other forms of trauma, as well as disruptions to cultural practices, displacement, and environmental damage on a long-term or permanent basis as a result of nuclear testing and maintenance.”
➢ “We request the [NWS] to provide adequate financial compensation and engage in information exchanges with States Parties whose territories served as test sites.”
➢ “The exchange of scientific and technical information is an important component of any framework for cooperation. States Parties and other actors should also share information with affected states parties regarding the potential effects of nuclear contamination and types of responses. These measures would help address both humanitarian and environmental damages caused by nuclear test explosions; and thereby help the victims of nuclear weapons.”
The NAM countries mentioned that “the Group acknowledges the existence of a special responsibility towards the affected people and areas, including those in the former United Nations Trust Territories that have been adversely affected as a result of the nuclear weapon tests conducted in the past.”40 Among the NNWS allied with the United States, for instance, Germany stated, “Victims’ assistance and environmental remediation from the long-term damages of nuclear testing likewise deserve broader attention and engagement. As expressed before, Germany wants to engage in dialogue and co-operation in addressing these issues.”41 Australia said that it was “aware that in Australia and in the Pacific, as in other parts of the world, the impact of nuclear weapons testing has been disproportionately borne by First Nations land and people.”42
The UNGA resolution “Addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons: providing victim assistance and environmental remediation to Member States affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons”43—proposed by Kazakhstan and Kiribati and adopted for the first time at the General Assembly—encourages international cooperation and discussion on victim assistance and environmental restoration, and “[urged] that Member States, which have used or tested nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosive devices, to share, as appropriate, technical and scientific information regarding the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such use and testing with Member States affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosive devices, and calls upon Member States, in a position to do so, to contribute technical and financial assistance, as appropriate.” The voting behavior of countries surveyed in this project on this resolution is as follows: 161 in favor (Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey and others); 4 against (France, North Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom); 6 abstentions (including China, India, Israel, Pakistan and the United States).
In addition to the issues mentioned above, the following developments were reported in 2023 regarding victim assistance and environmental remediation:
➢ In October 2023, the United States signed a 20-year economic assistance agreement with the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), finally overcoming a stalemate over the issue of compensation for past US nuclear testing. The agreed $2.3 billion assistance package includes a $700 million trust fund that the RMI government states will use to address the needs of those affected by the nuclear testing program.44
➢ The U.S. Senate endorsed a major expansion of a compensation program for people sickened by exposure to radiation during nuclear weapons testing and the mining of uranium during the Cold War. The provisions would extend health care coverage and compensation to so-called downwinders exposed to radiation during weapons testing to several new regions stretching from Guam to the New Mexico site where the world’s first atomic bomb was tested in 1945. The Senate-backed plan also would extend compensation to more former uranium industry workers. Coverage would be expanded to New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana and previously excluded areas of Nevada, Utah and Arizona.45 Because the House of Representatives did not adopt similar provisions, the expansion of the compensation program was not included in the final National Defense Authorization Act passed in December 2023.46
➢ Spain announced that it has asked the United States to begin procedures to remove soil contaminated with radioactivity after a mid-air collision dumped four U.S. hydrogen bombs near a southern Spanish village nearly 60 years ago.47
➢ Concerned U.S. citizens raised alarm that the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which stipulates compensation fore fallout victims in Utah, Nevada and Arizona from nuclear weapons testing, is set to expire in July 2024. Unless RECA is extended, the program’s demise would end compensation for workers at the test site in Nevada and “downwinders” who developed illnesses due to aboveground atomic testing, as well as for those who mined, milled or transported uranium.48
➢ Japan provides assistance to victims under the “Atomic Bomb Survivors’ Assistance Act,” but there continues to be debates and court cases regarding the certification of atomic bomb survivors and the scope of assistance.
32 NPT/CONF.2026/PC.I/WP.8, June 14, 2023.
33 “Joint Statement of the States Parties and Signatory States to the TPNW,” Cluster 1, First PrepCom for the 11th NPT RevCon, August 2, 2023.
34 NPT/CONF.2026/PC.I/WP.5, June 13, 2023.
35 “Statement by Austria,” General Debate, First PrepCom for the 11th NPT RevCon, July 31, 2023.
36 “Statement by Japan,” Cluster One Specific Issue, First PrepCom for the 11th NPT RevCon, August 3, 2023.
37 A/RES/78/34, December 4, 2023.
38 A/RES/78/41, December 4, 2023.
39 “Joint Statement on behalf of Kiribati and Kazakhstan,” First PrepCom for the 11th NPT RevCon, July 31, 2023.
40 NPT/CONF.2026/PC.I/WP.8, June 14, 2023.
41 “Statement by Germany,” Cluster, First PrepCom for the 11th NPT RevCon, August 3, 2023.
42 “Statement by Australia,” General Debate, First PrepCom for the 11th NPT RevCon, August 1, 2023.
43 A/RES/78/240, December 22, 2023.
44 Congressional Research Service, “The Compacts of Free Association,” Updated November 23, 2023, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12194.
45 Morgan Lee, “US Senate Votes to Expand Radiation-Exposure Compensation, from Guam to Original A-Bomb Test Site,” AP News, July 28, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/us-senate-radiationexposure-compensation-b3e256163f1d0aaefec04642233a6d20.
46 Mike Crapo, U.S. Senator for Idaho, “Crapo Delivers Remarks Expressing Disappointment in Lack of Radiation Compensation in Defense Bill,” News Release, December 13, 2023, https://www.crapo. senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-delivers-remarks-expressing-disappointment-in-lack-of-radiation-compensation-in-defense-bill.
47 Ciarán Giles, “Spain Asks U.S. to Begin Cleanup of Nuclear Accident Site,” AP, March 7, 2023, https:// apnews.com/article/spain-us-b52-hydrogen-bomb-plutonium-accident-palomares-dd5e024d2cd5247a1dba0195600b188d.
48 “Time Running out for Utah Downwinders Seeking Compensation for Exposure to Radioactive Fallout,” Salt Lake Tribute, November 1, 2023, https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/11/01/time-running-out-utah-downwinders/.
