September 26th is the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, known as Nuclear Abolition Day. This day serves to increase public awareness and education on the threats posed by nuclear weapons and the necessity to pursue nuclear disarmament, and Tri-Valley CAREs invites you to join us in hopeful observance.
In the United Nation’s (UN) first resolution 80 years ago, it affirmed nuclear disarmament as a top priority. Frustrated by the lack of progress towards achieving this goal, in 2013 the United Nations General Assembly declared September 26 as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
The date selected does have historical significance. September 26, 1983, at the height of the Cold War, was one of the times when the world has come close to nuclear war. A nuclear war was narrowly averted when Colonel Stanislav Petrov, Duty Officer at a Russian nuclear early warning facility, broke protocol by not affirming to senior command an apparent incoming ballistic missile attack from the United States (later confirmed as a false alarm). Because of this, September 26 was chosen as the date. To commemorate Nuclear Abolition Day, every year on September 26, the UN holds a meeting of world leaders to discuss measures to achieve nuclear disarmament.
The world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice, affirmed that the threat of and use of nuclear weapons is illegal and there is an obligation for states to negotiate and pursue arms control in good faith in its 1996 Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons.
Advocating for nuclear abolition is extremely crucial in today’s day and age. With major nuclear arms control treaties expiring, including the New START bilateral treaty between the US and Russia that expires February 5th 2026, governments of nuclear armed states are ramping up nuclear stockpiles.
The US is pursuing a major nuclear weapons modernization program pouring billions into nuclear weapons production in order to replace every nuclear weapon in the stockpile. WIthout treaty limits, stockpile numbers will also surely climb. With nuclear facilities being the target of attacks, and world leaders threatening to use nuclear weapons, today the risk of nuclear war by accident, miscalculation, crisis escalation, or malicious intent, is higher than ever.
In Livermore, we are seeing the impacts of nuclear modernization first hand. Livermore Lab has proposed enhancing its plutonium utilization in the near future. The proposal would raise the security category from Category III to Category II, allowing for a significant increase in the throughput of nuclear weapons-grade plutonium at the Livermore Lab. This demonstrates the escalating nuclear arms race, threatening the surrounding communities and global security as well, and creating a necessity to achieve nuclear abolition.
To honor Nuclear Abolition Day, there will be events happening all around the world. You can also take action right from your phone or computer by joining into the virtual social media activities that you can learn more about at “Stop Nuclear Weapons: Peace is in our Hands.” Additionally, individuals and organizations can endorse this September 26 joint appeal. Tri-Valley CAREs has signed on to the appeal and will be participating in the social media action! We encourage you to participate as well!
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