Invitation to endorse this Global Appeal to end the nuclear threat, abolish nuclear weapons and shift the weapons budgets and investments to support public health, COVID-19 recovery, the climate and sustainable development.
About the Appeal
The Protect People and the Planet Appeal was launched on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Sep 26, 2020, and remains open for endorsement until significant progress is made by governments on the calls in the Appeal.
It was presented to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2021 and again to the UNGA during Disarmament Week, October 24-30, 2022.
The Appeal
The nuclear weapons possessed by nine countries threaten us all. Any use of these weapons by accident, miscalculation or malicious intent, would have catastrophic human, economic and environmental consequences. The use of just a small fraction of the 14,000 nuclear weapons in the world’s stockpiles could end civilization as we know it.
In addition, the $100 billion spent annually on nuclear weapons is sorely needed for environmental, economic and human needs, including addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting the climate and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
We, the undersigned, call on our cities, parliaments and governments to:
- Affirm that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and therefore the nuclear armed States should stand down their nuclear forces and affirm policies never to initiate a nuclear war (no-first-use policies);
- Commit to the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the United Nations;
- Cut nuclear weapons budgets (if they are a nuclear-weapon State), end investments in the nuclear weapons industry (all governments), and redirect these investments and budgets to support the United Nations, COVID-19 management and recovery, drastic reductions in carbon emissions to protect the climate, and financing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Some quotes from endorsers
Let's invest in dialogue and stop all wars. Maria Ivone Soares MP (Mozambique). Member of Parliament.
All nuclear states should adopt a no first use policy. Giorgio Parisi (Italy). Scientist, Rome University la Sapienza. 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Money is urgently needed to fight poverty, illiteracy and pandamic diseases all around the world. Why not come back to dialogue! Why not use the nuclear weapons` money for the well-being of future generations instead!Christine Muttonen (Austria). Former MP. Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. Former President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
Our world belongs to all of us, both now and in the future. We need to have all resources channeled away from nukes and into health, education and a clean environment for everyone.Bill Kidd MSP (Scotland). PNND Co-President. Chair, Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Group on Nuclear Disarmament.
As being originally from South Asia where India and Pakistan are eye-ball to eye-ball with nuclear and conventional weapons I urge all nations to a Nuclear Weapons-Free World. Mutual Assured Destruction is spelt MAD for a reason.Shazia Z Rafi (Pakistan/USA). President, Sustainable World Inc, USA. Former Secretary-General, Parliamentarians for Global Action.
Nuclear war would be a disastrous calamity and should therefore never be fought!Sven Clement MP (Luxembourg). Member of the Parliament for the Piraten Party.
The risk of nuclear war cannot be reduced nationally, so we need a worldwide initiative to end it which includes people from nuclear states and from states where nuclear weapons are stored.Ute Finckh-Krämer (Germany). Former Member of Parliament. PNND Global Council Member.
We don’t even have enough resources and safety to pass a quarantine year decently! And our supreme leaders are wasting US$8,321,940/hr on NUKES, calling them as ultimate peace and security. It's a lesson, how nature become ruthless. We should rectify our pernicious misdeeds and work for the betterment of humankind.Mostafiz Ahmed (Bangladesh). Secretary, PNND-BANGLADESH Parliamentary Council.
75 years ago the people of the world shocked at the devastating effects of nuclear weapons called for an entity that could intervene in conflict situations to avoid war and settle disputes through nonviolent means. The abhorrent nuclear weapons should have been dismantled and its manufacture discontinued at that time. So the time is now to dismantle and discontinue its manufacture and work towards provision of SDGs instead.Ela Gandhi (South Africa). Former Member of Parliament. Chairperson, Phoenix Settlement Trust. Co-President, Religions for Peace. Grand-daughter, Mahatma Gandhi.
As an ICAN partner and representatives of the victims of nuclear testing, we endorse this appeal.Alan Owen (United Kingdom). Member LABRATS International (Legacy of the Atomic Bomb. Recognition of Atomic Test Survivors)