Global nuclear arms race and entrenched security doctrines threaten humanity, say Nagasaki mayor on bombing anniversary
Original framing: “Nagasaki mayor says ‘humanity and nuclear weapons cannot coexist’” — Al Jazeera
Scientific evidence documents the acute and chronic health effects of ionising radiation, the environmental persistence of fallout, and the climate destabilisation that nuclear detonations would cause. Peer‑reviewed modelling also shows that even limited use of nuclear arsenals would trigger ‘nuclear winter’ scenarios, threatening global food security.
The persistence of nuclear weapons is sustained by entrenched security doctrines, defense‑industrial interests, and a fragmented international legal order that together marginalise the voices of those most affected.
Historical continuities from imperial militarism to Cold‑War deterrence, amplified by scientific evidence of catastrophic health and climate impacts, demand a multidimensional response that integrates indigenous stewardship, cross‑cultural peace ethics, and rigorous future modelling. By instituting a binding disarmament treaty, redirecting defense spending toward climate resilience, and empowering community‑based monitoring, the global system can shift from a paradigm of mutual threat to one of collective security rooted in justice and ecological sustainability. Cultural peace diplomacy further cements this transition by embedding anti‑nuclear values across societies, ensuring that the moral imperative articulated by Nagasaki’s mayor translates into concrete, systemic change.