Nuclear Weapons

The Stanley Center works with diverse stakeholders to preserve, adapt, and re-envision policy solutions that help states prevent the use of nuclear weapons.

We advance risk reduction solutions to help states prevent the use of nuclear weapons.

Unless states work to establish, renew, and reinvent habits of cooperation and restraint, the world could face nuclear crises that are more frequent, faster-paced, and even less manageable.

The danger of nuclear weapons is more salient today than it has been in a generation.  Security and political relationships among potential nuclear adversaries are worsening. Many of the treaties, institutions, and cooperative arrangements that helped keep the nuclear threat at bay have atrophied, lapsed, or been dismantled. The challenges are growing more complex as states develop and apply emerging technologies in ways that intensify risks to international peace and security.

The Stanley Center works to advance practical solutions to reduce those risks. We approach this work with a strong belief in the value of cooperative security and stakeholder inclusion.

Key Strategies

Strengthening and elevating existing risk reduction measures

Risk reduction has a history of success over the last sixty years. We help build on the promise of those existing measures by seeking ways to enhance them, strengthen constituencies for them, and encourage their consideration by new stakeholders and in regional contexts.

Adapting and developing risk reduction approaches

Today’s political and technological environments demand creative approaches to risk reduction. To help states succeed in preventing the use of nuclear weapons, we advocate for risk reduction measures that can operate in a multipolar world, account for nonstate actors, and keep pace with technology development.

Expanding the scope of stakeholder involvement in risk reduction measures

To meet today’s challenges, risk reduction solutions will need to involve more stakeholders in their design, implementation, and monitoring. To increase confidence in and support for these measures, we look to include more stakeholders in the process of risk reduction—through technical and political cooperation and by involving stakeholders from non-nuclear weapons states and civil society.

Recent / Upcoming Events

See new and ongoing collaborations

November 18-22, 2024 | Nuclear Weapons

OSINT IRL

October 30, 2023 - November 2, 2023 | Nuclear Weapons

Adventures in Nuclear Risk Reduction
All Events

Adventures in Nuclear Risk Reduction

Adventures in Nuclear Risk Reduction aims to facilitate intergenerational knowledge transfer by publishing stories in a variety of formats on first-person experiences with risk reduction and elevating them for discussion between practitioners and early or mid-career experts. Visit the project website to explore the stories in our series, including experiences shared by Bill Moon, Siegfried Hecker, Laura Rockwood, Tom Countryman, Cheryl Rofer, Scott Roecker, and others.

View the Project

Accelerator Initiative

At the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, we believe that diverse perspectives create better solutions. With the Accelerator Initiative, we are applying that value to our work on nuclear weapons policy by creating career development opportunities for early-career women working in nuclear, international security, or technology policy.

FIND OUT MORE

Questions about our work? Interested in collaborating?

Contact a member of our team working to avoid the use of nuclear weapons.

Are you a journalist or in media?

In addition to our efforts to drive policy progress, the Stanley Center creates media trainings and forums, facilitates reporting fellowships, and regularly invites journalists to share their unique perspectives in policy conversations. Learn more about how to get involved.

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