Global Catastrophic Risks 2020

VCDNP Senior Fellow Angela Kane brought attention to the important difference between nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in this year's edition of Global Catastrophic Risks, a publication of the Global Challenges Foundation. Ms. Kane observed that, unlike nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons are relatively accessible to most countries due to lower cost and technical expertise required.

Ms. Kane has contributed to Global Catastrophic Risks for several years. However, COVID-19 has given the international community a stark reminder of the existential and economic consequences of global pandemics. Additionally, political tensions surrounding the Organisation on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, including decisions in 2018 and 2020 on assigning attribution in cases of chemical weapons use, have kept chemical weapons at the forefront of policymakers' minds.

Read Ms. Kane's assessment of these risks here.