CTBTO celebrates its 10th anniversary
To mark the occasion of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s (CTBTO) 10th anniversary, a scientific symposium, Synergies with Science 1996-2006 and Beyond, was held in Vienna the 31st of August – 1st of September.
CTBTO aims to make the world a safer place by preventing nuclear testing and in order to reach that aim it has created an extensive and complex international verification system, consisting of 337 surveillance stations around the world. This verification system was developed with the use of cutting edge technologies and co-operation with leading scientists and engineers. This highly advanced system offers the potential of flood and earthquake (Tsunami) warning system, volcanic surveillance, atmospheric change and etcetera. Two surveillance stations are situated in Iceland, one in Reykjavík and one in Borgarnes.
The symposium focused on on-going co-operation with the scientific community and in that spirit leading scientists in the fields of geology, climate and meteorology, data analysis and geography were invited to chair three consecutive seminars on the aforementioned issues.
The CTBT Treaty itself has not yet come into force since Annex 2 of the Treaty stipulates that the ratification of 44 specific states is needed beforehand. Those particular states all control nuclear weapons or nuclear reactors. As of today 34 Annex 2 states have ratified the Treaty but those who have not are the following: China, Colombia, North-Korea, Egypt, Israel, India, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan and the United States of America. During the course of the Symposium those 10 states were strongly urged to ratify the Treaty and enable it to come into force.
For more information please visit CTBTO´s website.
