In recent years, many nations have brought to the world’s attention the dangers of nuclear testing, culminating in the CTBT treaty (The Comprehensive Nuclear Testing Ban Treaty). If nuclear testing were to continue, we could have increased rates of cancer, long-term soil damage that prevents crops, plants, or animals from living in the area. The only true example of a modern nuclear blast’s consequences is the Chernobyl nuclear explosion. This explosion caused a massive nuclear fallout that reached thousands of miles away in countries as far as France.

Countries such as the USA, Micronesia, and Kiribati report increasing cancer rates, increasing rates of radiation poisoning, and an increase in other diseases primarily caused by radiation. The USA reports that, “About 22,000 radiation-related cancers, half of them fatal, might eventually result from external exposure from NTS and global fallout, compared to the current lifetime cancer rate of 42 percent.” This increase from just nuclear testing 40 to 50 years ago is quite large, and if any more testing continues we will have an even higher amount of radiation-related cancer cases. There are a total of 8 Annex 2 countries that have not yet ratified the CTBT. Those countries are as follows: The People’s Republic of China, The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Egypt, India, The Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and the United States of America. Almost all of the other countries of Annex 2 have ratified and signed the treaty, a large majority of non-Annex 2 countries have also signed and ratified the treaty as well.

Without the support of the two world superpowers, China and the US, this treaty would fall apart as the two giants have enough influence to completely disregard this important treaty. The main goal behind this treaty is to prevent a nuclear war from breaking out, which would cause complete and total destruction. As Csaba Kőrösi noted in 2010,  the UN must “put an end to the threat of our collective suicide.” With recent tensions growing over the war in Ukraine and growing threats in East Asia this treaty is of the utmost importance for keeping world peace. With more and more regular threats of nuclear war, one must wonder why haven’t we signed this treaty yet.