The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and its Implications for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and its potential impacts on global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to poverty, health, inequality, environment, and peacebuilding. It argues that nuclear disarmament as called for in the TPNW can facilitate sustainable development, despite the lack of an explicit linkage in the treaty text itself. Through textual analysis and data on resource reallocation, climate impacts, and development indicators, the study demonstrates that nuclear weapons pose immense barriers to SDG targets across themes of economic growth, clean energy, gender equality, reduced hazards, and strong institutions. The study then explores the tensions between the TPNW and the United States' long-standing nuclear deterrence policy, considering the challenges and opportunities presented by the treaty. Through a detailed case study of US nuclear policy, the research investigates potential areas of conflict and possible paths for reconciliation between the TPNW's disarmament goals and the perceived security benefits of nuclear deterrence. The dissertation concludes by evaluating implementation challenges while affirming complementarity between the TPNW’s prohibition framework and poverty reduction, good health/environmental wellbeing, and peaceful societies – amidst resistance from nuclear weapons states. It brings new evidence demonstrating that nuclear prohibition treaties can produce positive externalities helping realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.