Towards a Sustainable Future without Nuclear Weapons
Initiatives from the Perspective of Sustainability
Nuclear weapons can take away countless precious lives and happiness in an instant, pose a long-term threat to individuals’ peace and security, and cause social problems in various sectors, including society, the economy, and the environment, making our society unsustainable.
Furthermore, nuclear weapons, at all stages from their production to their disposal, inflict serious damage on society, the economy, the environment, and all other sectors. Therefore, their mere existence has a negative impact on our daily social lives and poses a clear threat to the sustainable future of the Earth and humanity.
The issue of nuclear weapons has been discussed so far from two perspectives: military and security, and inhumanity. We, the Hiroshima Prefectural Government and the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe), have added the third perspective of sustainability and aim to share the recognition of this new perspective with the international community so that the issue of nuclear weapons will become a global issue as high-profile as climate change and pandemics, and will be addressed in various sectors around the world. Anticipating the issue of nuclear weapons being placed on the UN agenda, we are working to reach out to the UN from civil society through GASPPA and government officials.
“Exiting to a ‘Post-Nuclear Weapon World’ and a Sustainable Future: Visions and Challenges for Transformation and a Just Transition towards the Post-SDGs World”
The issue of nuclear weapons has been discussed mainly along two axes: peace and security, and humanitarianism and ethics. In April 2022, Hiroshima Prefecture and the HOPe released “Exiting to a ‘Post-Nuclear Weapon World’ and a Sustainable Future: Visions and Challenges for Transformation and a Just Transition towards the Post-SDGs World.” This proposal adds a new axis, sustainability, to the discussions to provide a three-dimensional view of the issue and to advocate the need for a transformation toward a better future.
In March 2024, HOPe summarized the essence of the proposal into the document "Our Vision for the Future: HOPe envisions a sustainable world built on the foundation of open sharing and cooperation" as what should be achieved.
- Exiting to a ‘Post-Nuclear Weapon World’ and a Sustainable Future_en (PDFファイル)(374KB)
- Our Vision for the Future_en (PDFファイル)(82KB)
Outreach to the international community
High-Level Political Forum（HLPF）
- FY2021
Participated in the “HLPF Special Event” as Hiroshima Prefecture/HOPe and hosted a session. The theme was “Nuclear Disarmament and Our Sustainable Future.”
- FY2022
Special event sessions were held. Themes include: “The 2030 Agenda and global challenges” and “Interconnections: A reflection on nuclear weapons and SDG implementation”.
- FY2023
Met with the President of the ECOSOC Narvaez and explained a new approach to raising the nuclear weapons issue from the perspective of sustainability.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference（NPT）
- 2022 NPT Review Conference Side Event
1．Nuclear Disarmament and Our Sustainable Future
2．From Deterrence to Disarmament
- 2023 NPT Review Conference Side Event
1．Sustainable Peace and Prosperity for All
2．Looking Beyond Nuclear Deterrence: A Mid-term Perspective on Nuclear Disarmament
- 2024 NPT Review Conference Side Event
1．Looking Beyond Nuclear Deterrence: Insights and Deliberations towards a World without Nuclear Weapons
2．Advancing the Global Agenda of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World
- 2025 NPT Review Conference Side Event
1．Envisioning Global Security Without Reliance on Nuclear Deterrence
2．Strengthening regional peace and security in Northeast Asia
Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons（TPNW）
- FY2022
Participated in the Civil Society Forum and hosted a dialogue event on the theme “The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and Sustainability”.
- FY2023
1．Participated in the panel discussion on the inhumanity of nuclear weapons held during the plenary session
【Main Proposals】
・Proposed “building security that does not rely on nuclear deterrence” and “advocacy from the perspective of sustainability” toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
2．Side Event
・"Advancing Global Agenda for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World: -Bridging Humanity, Security, and Sustainability"
Contribution to Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War
- On December 24, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly resolution established a “Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War” to investigate the “physical and societal effects” of nuclear war, specifically “impacts on public health, global socioeconomic systems, agriculture, and ecosystems, including climate, environmental, and radiological effects at local, regional, and global levels” in the days, weeks, and decades following a nuclear conflict.
- The report is scheduled to be considered at the 2027 United Nations General Assembly (82nd session).
- Eight experts (six from Hiroshima Prefecture and two from Nagasaki Prefecture) were recommended as panel candidates from Hiroshima and Nagasaki Prefectures.
- Although the eight experts were not appointmented, we have provided information about them to NAC member countries.
Lobbying government officials
Proposals for the G7 Hiroshima Summit
In December 2022, Governor Yuzaki of Hiroshima Prefecture (President of HOPe) and Governor Oishi of Nagasaki Prefecture visited the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and presented “Proposals for the G7 Hiroshima Summit: Realizing a Sustainable Future Without Nuclear Weapons” to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shunsuke Takei.
Briefing session in Tokyo
In March 2023, we presented a proposal titled "Toward a Sustainable Future without Nuclear Weapons" to embassies in Tokyo.
Briefing session in Geneva
In July 2024, we presented a proposal titled "Toward a Sustainable Future without Nuclear Weapons" to Permanent Missions to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan
In July 2025, we paid a courtesy visit to officials of the Government of Kazakhstan. We expressed our gratitude for their understanding and support of HOPe's initiatives and requested continued cooperation toward achieving our shared goal of realizing a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons by 2045 at the latest.
Engagement with civil society
Global Alliance "Sustainable Peace and Prosperity for All"（GASPPA）
In April 2022, we launched the Global Alliance "Sustainable Peace and Prosperity for All" (GASPPA) as a civil society platform.
Purpose
With the aim of making the elimination of nuclear weapons one of the UN's Sustainable development goals for 2030 onwards（post SDGs）, we will raise the issue of nuclear weapons from the perspective of sustainability and urge the international community to take action.
Requirements for joining
All individuals and organizations that support the founding statement can join.
Major Activities
- We will frame the issue of nuclear weapons in terms of the impact on society, economy, envionment, and many other areas from the perspective of sustainability, formulate and publish policy recommendations for raising the issue in the international community, and disseminate the information through campaign.
- We will establish a Group of Friends consisting of government officials involved in diplomatic negotiations and support its activities. Group members will encourage their respective governments to join the Group of Friends.
- We will support the United Nations' previously announced “An Agenda for Disarmament,” “Our Common Agenda,” and “Pact for the Future” from the perspective of civil society, and advocate to the international community for the elimination of nuclear weapons to be positioned as a goal in the post-SDGs.
Member Organizations
Currently, 36 organizations from 16 countries in the world joined in this group.
member organizations（as of 2025/6/23） (PDFファイル)(28KB)
Registration for joining
- Brochure (PDFファイル)(4.52MB)
- Founding-Statement (PDFファイル)(115KB)
- Articles (PDFファイル)(179KB)
- Code of Ethics and Conduct (PDFファイル)(218KB)
- Mailing List Rules (PDFファイル)(61KB)
For Registration, click here for both individuals and organizations
GASPPA is open for individuals and organizations to join. All that is required is for you to support the founding statement. Once you have registered using this form, you will receive information on GASPPA through the mailing list.
