Why has the Nuclear Responsibilities Programme evolved to become the Responsibilities and Global Governance Programme?
The Nuclear Responsibilities Programme (NR) has changed its name to the Responsibilities and Global Governance Programme (RGG).
We are taking this step because the number of issues facing global governance are increasing in number and becoming more complicated as rising tensions between major powers and new emerging technologies such as AI reshape the international security environment.
Nuclear issues are still a key part of our work, but today and tomorrow’s risks are no longer limited to nuclear threats alone.
Emerging domains, such as cyber, space, and AI, intersect with traditional nuclear risks, creating new governance challenges and responsibilities that the Programme will seek to address.
Is the scope of the Programme expanding?
Yes, the scope of the Programme is expanding from a narrow focus on “responsibilities” in nuclear governance to a broader focus on cross-domain strategic environments. This means that we will now be looking at responsibilities across different domains of security, such as nuclear, cyber, space, and AI, and how they interact to shape the overall security landscape.
This evolution reflects the reality that nuclear risks and governance challenges no longer operate independently from each other.
We need a Programme that looks at modern threats as interconnected, not as separate problems. This will help create new and better governance frameworks regulating weapons and new “dual-use technologies”, like AI, that can be used for good and bad, helping to keep the world safe.
Will the team continue to focus on nuclear responsibilities as well as global governance?
Yes – the team will absolutely continue to focus on nuclear responsibilities alongside the expanded global governance work. The RGG Programme builds on nearly a decade of sustained work on nuclear responsibilities dialogues and research where we have developed trusted methods for facilitating sensitive discussions among high-level and politically divergent stakeholders.
At the heart of the Programme remains a close link between responsibilities and global governance. We do not see responsibilities as strict legal rules. Rather, they are practical political and normative tools that help guide behaviour in areas where formal laws are missing, incomplete, or fail to keep up with technological and strategic change.
In this sense, responsibilities act as ways to support good governance. For BASIC, global governance is not only about formal institutions and treaties, but also the norms, practices, and informal ways that shape behaviour and manage risk across different domains.
Responsibilities – whether nuclear or cross-domain – are both a key part of, and a pathway towards, stronger and more adaptable global governance.
Will the Programme continue to work on South Asia?
We have decades of experience working in South Asia. The region will remain a key priority for the Programme because of its unique escalation dynamics and complex interactions across multiple domains, including nuclear and emerging technologies such as cyber and AI.
The Programme has strong regional expertise and has facilitated leading research and dialogue on nuclear crisis prevention, management, and de-escalation between India and Pakistan, developing responsibility-based approaches to address shared risks.
The Programme will continue this work by looking at how emerging technologies and multi-domain activities – such as cyber, space, and other cross-domain influences – shape behaviour and escalation pathways in South Asia.
What are your future plans for RGG?
The RGG Programme is growing – both in the focus of our work and the expertise of our team.
Our team and project portfolio is expanding to include dedicated expertise in areas such as AI and outer space, and we plan to continue strengthening our capacity in these areas.
A key example of this evolution is the launch of Exploring Best Practices for the Responsible Military Use of AI, which focuses on practical thinking for how states develop and use military AI responsibly. This reflects our commitment to helping shape clear and practical governance standards in areas where formal rules are still developing.
We are also expanding our work in South Asia through research and dialogue on how emerging technologies and cross-domain interactions affect regional nuclear escalation risks.
Looking ahead, RGG will continue to expand its portfolio, with further projects planned as we deepen our work on interconnected nuclear security risks and global governance.