The Future of the Nuclear Taboo: Framing the Impact of the TPNW

Abstract

How might the Treaty on the Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) help prevent the use of nuclear weapons? Since the adoption of the TPNW in 2017, much has been said about the Treaty's impact on nuclear disarmament. Less has been said about how the Treaty's international humanitarian law (IHL)-based prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons may be best leveraged to further strengthen the long-standing norm against such use. This article explores how the design of the first meeting of States Parties to the TPNW may help ensure respect for the Treaty's prohibition on the use of nuclear weapons.