Nuclear Weapons under International Law

Completed in December 2015

There is no unequivocal and explicit prohibition of nuclear weapons under international law, although it significantly restricts the possibility for lawful use. With regard to possession, production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, a number of regimes constitute important regulatory frameworks that to a large degree have prevented nuclear proliferation.

In contrast to other legal regimes pertaining to weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapon use, production, transfer and possession are not explicitly prohibited. Disarmament obligations are challenging to enforce.

Research Team

This research project was carried out by Stuart Casey-Maslen.

PROJECT'S DOCUMENTS

OUTPUT

In Nuclear Weapons under International Law: An Overview (October 2014), the Geneva Academy and the International Law and Policy Institute summarize international law governing nuclear weapons with regard to the inter-state use of force, international humanitarian law, human rights law, disarmament law and environmental law. This summary is based on Nuclear Weapons Under International Law, edited by Gro Nystuen, Annie Golden Bersagel and Stuart Casey-Maslen, and published by Cambridge University Press (August 2014).

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