Treaties & arms control
TPNW (Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons)
A 2017 UN treaty that prohibits all activities related to nuclear weapons — development, possession, testing, threats of use — for state parties.
The TPNW entered into force in January 2021. Over 70 states have ratified it. None of the nine nuclear-armed states have signed; the treaty is intended to stigmatize possession and build pressure toward eventual abolition. ICAN, the lead civil-society coalition behind the TPNW, won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
Related terms
NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty)
The 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which restricts nuclear-weapon possession to five recognized states and obligates them to pursue disarmament.
CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty)
A 1996 treaty banning all nuclear explosions in all environments, for both military and civilian purposes.