States parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons adopt strong Declaration and Action Plan at their first meeting

The First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) met from 21-23 June 2022 in Vienna, Austria. On the final day of the meeting, states parties adopted a strong Declaration and Action Plan that set out a roadmap for the treaty's implementation and universalisation.

The Declaration stridently opposes nuclear weapons, describing them as being used to coerce, intimidate, and heighten tensions. “This highlights now more than ever the fallacy of nuclear deterrence doctrines, which are based and rely on the threat of the actual use of nuclear weapons and, hence, the risks of the destruction of countless lives, of societies, of nations, and of inflicting global catastrophic consequences.” The Declaration also expresses alarm and dismay “by threats to use nuclear weapons and increasingly strident nuclear rhetoric.” In the strongest ever condemnation of nuclear threats, Sstates parties “condemn unequivocally any and all nuclear threats, whether they be explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances.” 

The Action Plan provides a clear path forward for collective against nuclear weapons. Far from being an aspirational paper, it is a roadmap designed by states parties in partnership with survivors, impacted communities, civil society, and international organisations, consisting of practical steps to implement the TPNW. The actions include starting work on a trust fund to support people harmed by the impact of nuclear explosions, establishing a scientific advisory board, setting a ten-year deadline for destruction of nuclear weapons, getting more countries to join the TPNW, and more.

For more details, chek out statements, documents, and our reports and analysis from the conference.