“Putin’s clearly trying to inject nuclear leverage into both Ukraine and his relationship with the United States,” says Global Zero Senior Adviser Jon Wolfsthal, “And that should worry a lot of people.”
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Reaching Zero
In 1986, there were 70,300 nuclear weapons on the planet. Today, an estimated 12,705 weapons remain.
In the dark days of the Cold War, few could have imagined the arms race would give way to decades of international cooperation that reduced global nuclear arsenals by 80%.
Big vision and leadership, emboldened by public demand too loud to ignore, has taken us a long way already, through challenging times. We can keep going, and we’ve mapped the way forward.
- 70,300 Nuclear weapons in 1986
- 12,705 Nuclear weapons in 2022
- 0 Nuclear weapons in 2045
Building the Movement
Global Zero’s work aims to unlock the world of possibility beyond the bomb.
Imagine a future where stability is not conflated with the threat of mass destruction; where safety for some no longer requires vulnerability for others; where justice and equity are experienced by communities most impacted by nuclear harm; and where international cooperation in the face of common threats allows us to finally address the many other urgent challenges competing for attention.
That future is possible, but we can’t get there alone. It will take bold leadership backed by a people-powered movement to topple these weapons of mass destruction and the systems of injustice that uphold them.
Achieving Justice
Nuclear abolition is not a standalone fight. Our movement intersects across other existential threats and social issues, from climate and racial justice to democracy and public health. Whether it’s extractive uranium mining, nuclear testing, waste storage, or coercive nuclear threats, abolishing these weapons is a critical pillar of the global fight for equity and justice.
In The News
Putin’s Move on Nuclear Treaty May Signal End to Formal Arms Control
“’With Russia breaking treaties, China building up, North Korea testing missiles and Iran now close to weapons-grade uranium, it is a bad period for nuclear stability and restraint,’” says Global Zero Senior Adviser Jon Wolfsthal,
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