Back to the Basics: CTBT

After my last post, Ali commented that she wanted to know more about the CTBT. And she has a wonderful point, I haven't really explained what the CTBT is all about. So, we're going back to the basics! (All of this information is from the ctbto.org website.)

So, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) actually refers to a ban on nuclear explosions. This ban is anywhere you could think of: the Earth's surface, atmosphere, underwater, and underground. I suppose we could start talking about banning nuclear testing on Mars, but that's a discussion for another day. What makes the CTBT special is that no one gets special treatment -- no one is allowed to test!

The CTBT opened for states' signatures in 1996, before which over 2000 tests had been carried out. Since almost everyone agrees nuclear testing is bad, it's no surprise that there's been a minimal amount of testing since 1996, with the exception of three states - Iran, Pakistan, and North Korea.

At this point, 183 states have signed the CTBT. Of these, 157 states have also ratified the CTBT. While this is great progress, it's unfortunately not enough yet. The wording of the CTBT specifies 44 states that must sign AND ratify the CTBT for it to go into effect. Of these 44 states, eight are still missing: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the US. Not surprisingly, India, North Korea and Pakistan have yet to sign the CTBT. 

Some people believe that once the US ratifies the CTBT (we signed in 1996), there's a chance there might be a chain reaction (yes, I went there) with more states jumping on the bandwagon to sign and ratify.

And finally, what makes the CTBT so unique is the monitoring and verifications efforts. These are made up of three key areas: the International Monitoring System, On-site Inspections, and the International Data Centre. This helps maintain balance between monitoring and national sovereignty, especially since any information that comes into the International Data Centre being released to all member states. Transparency makes everyone feel more involved, yes?

So those are the basics of the CTBT. I'm sure you have more questions though, so feel free to ask!