The Humanitarian Initiative and the TPNW 1

Abstract

This chapter outlines the rationale of the Humanitarian Initiative which underpins the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and responds to the counter-narratives and critiques against the TPNW presented by nuclear weapons state (NWS) and nuclear-umbrella states. The Humanitarian Initiative and the resulting TPNW challenge the parameters of the nuclear weapons discourse. The Humanitarian Initiative promoted a globalist and comprehensive view of security, in juxtaposition to the “state-centred” security arguments of NWS, who stress that nuclear weapons are essential for their and their allies’ security. In relation to the TPNW, a number of counter-narratives have been and continue to be presented by NWS and nuclear-umbrella states. Given the severity of the humanitarian consequences and risks of nuclear weapons for the entire planet, the “distraction” argument is highly problematic. The TPNW is a particular legal response to the evidence on the humanitarian consequences and risks of nuclear weapons.