Finally, the UN has also been a cornerstone in the effort to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons — the most dangerous weapons on Earth! These weapons have the potential to destroy entire cities and kill millions, jeopardising our natural environment and the lives of future generations through their long-term catastrophic effects. While nuclear weapons have been used in warfare only twice, in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, approximately 13,400 of them reportedly still exist in the world today. Furthermore, there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date. Disarmament is, therefore, the best protection against these weapons, which pose dire threats to humankind. 

The UN has sought to eliminate such weapons ever since its inception, including establishing the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (UNAEC) to deal with the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy, among others. Several multilateral treaties have since been established with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation and testing while promoting progress in nuclear disarmament, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). While no nuclear-armed nation has expressed support for a ban treaty, and in fact, a number of them, including the United States and Russia, have expressed explicit opposition, the UN remains persistent in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology.