Risk Reduction
Nuclear risks are rising – we are working to reduce them
Context
States have employed risk reduction strategies in order to manage some of the unintended consequences of tensions between nuclear armed states since the Cold War. While states focused mostly on reducing risks related to proliferation of nuclear materials, nuclear terrorism and nuclear accidents throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, strategic risk reduction has returned as a topic of global importance in the 2020 NPT review cycle. Risks faced and actors involved vary by geographic region, but the overarching consensus is that the risks of nuclear escalation have increased globally. Experts share the concern that while risks have increased, the risk management tools of the Cold War have fallen in disuse since the late 1980s.
In the tense 2020 NPT review cycle, risk reduction can also serve as a political tool. It has the potential to provide a common foundation for collaboration even under challenging conditions in a polarised system. However, relying on risk reduction as a unifier does not come without problems. There is no consensus on risk definitions and best practice when it comes to approaches to risk reduction. That carries its own risks of potentially exacerbating polarisations between nuclear possessor and non-nuclear possessor states.
Our Work
BASIC monitors and analyses strategic relationships among the P5 and between nuclear possessor states and non-nuclear possessor states to assess how shifts in the relationship impact upon strategic nuclear risks. We provide timely and practical recommendations for how to reduce these risks and maintain stability, so that states can focus on building trust and working on disarmament.
In 2019-2020, we delivered a project on “Reducing Nuclear Risks in Europe”, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This project analysed the biggest nuclear risks in Europe and developed a range of pragmatic policy recommendations on how to reduce some of these risks. We are grateful for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ generous support.
Programme Director: Marion Messmer
With thanks to our funders at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Analysis and Publications for this Programme
Event Recording: BASIC Co-Director Presents at OxPeace 2021
On 15th May, BASIC Co-Director Sebastian Brixey-Williams was invited to speak at the OxPeace 2021 Conference ’Peace in the Nuclear Era: threats, treaties and public understanding.’ View the recording here.
Engagement without Recognition: A Pathway to China-India Risk Reduction Dialogue?
Recent deadly military incidents and an ongoing border conflict between China and India has led…
Report: Strategic Risk Reduction in the European Context
States have employed risk reduction strategies in order to manage some of the unintended consequences…
Report: Advancing Strategic Risk Reduction in Europe
This report arises from a roundtable on ‘European strategies for strategic risk reduction’ on 1…
Securing Empathy to Prevent Misunderstanding Among the Nuclear Five
This article was co-authored with Professor Nicholas J. Wheeler, Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security…
Parliamentary Briefing: House of Lords Debate on ‘Rising nuclear risk, disarmament and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’
This parliamentary briefing was issued in advance of the Debate on the report from the International Relations Committee ‘Rising nuclear risk, disarmament and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’, Tuesday, 16th of July 2019. This is an opportunity to consider the ways in which the UK can reduce nuclear risks globally, and engage in meaningful multilateral disarmament processes ahead of the 2020 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.
Report: Reducing Nuclear Risks: European perspectives from the 2019 PrepCom
This report arises from a roundtable on ‘Developing European Perspectives on Nuclear Risks’ on 7 May 2019, hosted at the Polish Mission to the UN in New York and under the sponsorship of the Dutch Foreign Ministry during the 2019 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee.
Active Programmes
BASIC believes in making progress on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation through multiple complementary approaches. We continuously develop our programmes – streams of research – through sustained engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, collectively searching for the art of the possible.
Our current programmes are listed below. View the current programmes page by clicking here.
