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AGA: Arbeitsgruppe Physik und Abrüstung

AGA 3: Nuclear Disarmament and Global Zero

AGA 3.1: Hauptvortrag

Donnerstag, 18. März 2010, 10:30–11:30, JUR D

Renewing, Reducing and Abolishing the British Nuclear Deterrent: Technical Opportunities and Obstacles along the Road to Zero — •John Finney — Physics & Astronomy, University College London, UK

The 2006 White Paper on the future of the UK nuclear deterrent argued that technical considerations required an immediate decision on renewing the Trident system. The following month, the global move towards a nuclear weapon free world was kick started by the first Wall Street Journal article by the US ``Gang of Four''. This change in the external environment raised uncomfortable problems for the UK in proceeding with Trident renewal, while at the same time trying to establish a leadership role in nuclear disarmament. Although many of the problems faced by the UK government in renewing Trident in a world moving towards global zero are political, there are many scientific and technical issues that not only raise problems with, but also open up major opportunities for the UK taking a leadership role. These relate to not only to the renewal of the present system, but also -- more positively -- to addressing problems that must be solved if we are to achieve a nuclear weapon free world. Some of these are discussed in relation to problems of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament, solutions to which would ease progress on the global Road to Zero. This discussion also highlights the problems of getting robust independent scientific input into security policy making.