BASIC is organising an online conference on Risk Reduction in the Arctic, on Thursday 10th November 2022.
Latest Publications
Read our latest publications, from January 2018 onwards.
The BASIC-N Square UK Nuclear Threat Community Network Map
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the BASIC-N Square Network Map of departments, organisations and scholars working on nuclear threat reduction in the United Kingdom. This map is intended as a ‘gift’ to the community, with hopes that it will serve as a useful tool to build connections amongst those of us based in the UK.
The production of this map was kindly funded by N Square and the New Venture Fund.
Report: Risks and Risk Reduction: A View from the South-eastern Flank
In September 2022, BASIC held a track 1.5 workshop in Sofia to discuss risk and threat assessments in South-eastern and Northern Europe. The workshop is part of the two-year project ‘Phase 2: Applying a Systematic Approach to NATO-Russia Risk Reduction’ that BASIC is undertaking in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Event: The 2023 EVN Policy Cycle Launch
We are delighted to announce the virtual launch event of the Emerging Voices Network’s (EVN) new Policy Cycle themed ‘De-siloing Existential Threats: challenging identity, power, and inclusivity in the nuclear policy field’.
BASIC is Recruiting a Research Director
New vacancy: BASIC is Recruiting a Research Director Salary: £60,000 – £82,000 Terms: Permanent/Full Time…
Report: Canadian Submarine Recapitalization in the Context of Climate Change
This report argues that climate change will exacerbate the challenges Canada faces in the recapitalisation of the Victoria-class submarine fleet.
Summary of APPG Meeting: Safeguarding Civil Nuclear Facilities During Conflict
On Thursday 13th October 2022, the APPG on Global Security and Non-proliferation and the APPG on the United Nations jointly hosted an APPG meeting on ‘Safeguarding Civil Nuclear Facilities During Conflict’, chaired by Lord Hannay of Chiswick.
Report: Managing Resources and Sea Routes in the Arctic
In this report, Dr Gry Thomasen argues that avoiding or mitigating conflict over resources and the sea routes in the Arctic is crucial for a peaceful Arctic in the future.
Report: Prioritising People in the Arctic
In this report, Dr Chiara Cervasio and Eva-Nour Repussard address existing and emerging threats to human security in the Arctic and investigate the utility of different risk reduction measures in mitigating such risks.
New EVN Policy Cycle and Activities
The Inclusive International Security Team is excited to announce that the Emerging Voices Network’s next Policy Cycle is here.
Report: NATO-Russia Relationship: Perspectives from Russia
This report is the second in a series of four reports that address the current threat assessments and perceptions of nuclear and conventional escalation risks in Eastern Europe and Russia.
Event: Nuclear Responsibilities at Sea
BASIC and ICCS are organising an online roundtable with young professionals and experts to discuss maritime risk reduction in the Asia Pacific through the Nuclear Responsibilities Approach.
Our most shared
BASIC is developing new approaches to overcome states’ dependency on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, which blocks global nuclear disarmament and drives proliferation. We engage diverse perspectives, encourage empathy across states, and broaden the context of debate. We have an established reputation for non-partisan, non-judgmental, cross-cultural engagement and for seeking common ground.
Our current programmes are listed below. To see our completed programmes, visit our archive.
Phase 2.0 of the Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities
The Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities brings together Nuclear Weapon States and Non-Nuclear Weapon States to foster understanding and dialogue on the responsibilities of states and state leaders around nuclear weapons. Launched in 2016, the Programme is now moving into an exciting second phase – find out more here.
Report: How much does the UK spend on nuclear weapons?
This report draws upon a mixture of publicly available data and estimates in order to outline both the current operating costs of the Trident nuclear weapon system, as well as the estimated costs of the current plans to renew the UK’s nuclear arsenal.
Report: (Dis)Continuous Deterrence: Challenges to Britain’s Nuclear Doctrine
Despite strong rhetorical support on part of the government for Continuous At-Sea Deterrence (CASD), a real risk exists that CASD could be interrupted in the early 2030s.
BASIC Annual Report 2017
2017 was a tough year for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Read our latest Annual Report to find out how we worked towards creating a world free of the risk of nuclear weapons over now the course of 2017.
Report: Blowing up the Budget: The Cost Risk of Trident to UK Defence
BASIC’s new report illustrates in clear detail the cost risk of Trident renewal to the UK’s Defence budget; Dreadnought’s through life costs are likely to be between £110-114bn.
Report: Negative Security Assurances: The Test of Commitment to Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament?
Nuclear armed states already offer some limited and conditional guarantees (NSAs) that they will not threaten nuclear attack on other states that do not have nuclear weapons. This report looks at the opportunities there are in building upon these guarantees.
View by year
BASIC is developing new approaches to overcome states’ dependency on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, which blocks global nuclear disarmament and drives proliferation.
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2017 Publications
Read our publications from last year. Our reports from this period include analysis of the implications of the Trump Administration on US nuclear policy, the risks posed by offensive cyber weapons to UK Trident submarines, and BASIC and UNA-UK’s call for UK leadership on disarmament and arms control at the multilateral level.
BASIC Annual Report 2017
2017 was a tough year for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Read our latest Annual Report to find out how we worked towards creating a world free of the risk of nuclear weapons over now the course of 2017.
Report: Changing Nuclear Weapons Policy in the Trump Era: Implications for Europe
President Trump’s emerging nuclear policy presents ‘extraordinary challenges to strategic stability, arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation within Europe’, and undermines European security. President Trump’s US Nuclear Posture Review is expected in the next two months.
Report: A Small Sacrifice for Security: Why Finland gave up its landmines
Finland joined the Antipersonnel Landmine Ban Treaty despite an overwhelming belief that their national defence doctrine depended upon the deployment of landmines, and the refusal of their neighbour Russia to participate.
Negative Security Assurances (June 2017 Briefing)
In the first of a new series of briefing papers from BASIC Executive Director, Paul Ingram, reviews Negative Security Assurances (NSAs) and their significance in the context of the Ban Treaty talks and beyond.
Report: Hacking UK Trident: A Growing Threat
This paper reviews the growing potential for cyber-attack on the UK’s operational fleet of Vanguard-class submarines armed with nuclear-tipped Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles, and some of the implications for strategic stability.
Report: Meaningful Multilateralism: 30 Nuclear Disarmament Proposals for the Next UK Government
In Meaningful Multilateralism, BASIC and UNA–UK offer 30 multilateral disarmament proposals for the incoming UK Government after the General Election on the 8th June, themed according to three types of leadership the UK has previously shown in disarmament.
Must reads
BASIC is developing new approaches to overcome states’ dependency on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, which blocks global nuclear disarmament and drives proliferation. We engage diverse perspectives, encourage empathy across states, and broaden the context of debate. We have an established reputation for non-partisan, non-judgmental, cross-cultural engagement and for seeking common ground.
Our current programmes are listed below. To see our completed programmes, visit our archive.
Understanding the ICJ’s Order on the Allegations of Genocide in Ukrainian Territory (Ukraine v. Russian Federation)
Flávia Salazar Sousa discusses the ruling from the ICJ in the case Ukraine v. Russian Federation on allegations of genocide under the Genocide Convention of 1948.
The Global South: Access to Nuclear Technologies and the Ban Treaty
In this blog piece, Professor Andrew Futter and Dr Olamide Samuel discuss the lack of focus on civilian nuclear energy and the Global South in analyses of the Ban Treaty.
Ukraine, Remote Interventionism, and the Stability-Instability Paradox: The Need to Re-Prioritise Nuclear Risk Reduction
Dr Simone Papale and Dr Chiara Cervasio discuss how Western remote interventionism to counter Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine validates the stability-instability paradox.
The Ukraine Crisis and Europe
The world appears to be looking to the United States to solve the current crisis…
Why Should Asia-Pacific States Implement the Stepping Stones Approach?
In her latest piece for BASIC, Emily Enright discusses the relevance of the Stepping Stones Approach to Asia-Pacific states in their disarmament work.
The Road to Disarmament Should Leave No One Behind: On the Importance of Discussing Declaratory Policies
In their latest paper for BASIC, Eva-Nour Repussard discusses the importance of the Stepping Stones Approach to achieve Nuclear Disarmament.
Joint Publications
Read some of our staff picks of BASIC’s best current and historic writing below.
Why we write
BASIC is developing new approaches to overcome states’ dependency on the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, which blocks global nuclear disarmament and drives proliferation. We engage diverse perspectives, encourage empathy across states, and broaden the context of debate. We have an established reputation for non-partisan, non-judgmental, cross-cultural engagement and for seeking common ground.
To view all of our Analysis content, visit the Analysis page by clicking here.