Debates on advancing the peaceful uses of nuclear technology – the third pillar of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) – have traditionally been less controversial at the NPT review conferences than those concerning disarmament and non-proliferation. Constructive discussion on ways to expand access to peaceful uses was considered the “quiet success” of the 2022 Review Conference, and for most of the current review cycle, it was expected that the 2026 Review Conference would build on this success.
In a new commentary, Japan Chair Fellow Sanaa Alvira writes that, due the developments of the past year, there is now growing anxiety about States Parties’ ability to negotiate Pillar 3 issues in a constructive and forward-looking manner. US-Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, along with the US opposition to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and references to climate change and gender in the context of peaceful uses, will likely complicate the discussions at the 2026 NPT Review Conference. Sanaa Alvira argues that attacks on civilian nuclear infrastructure are a particularly controversial issue that raises questions regarding the credibility of nuclear supplier states whose actions undermine the inalienable right to peaceful uses recognized in Article IV of the NPT.
Sanaa Alvira identifies areas where constructive engagement may be possible, particularly through cooperation on non-power applications of nuclear technologies and support for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Technical Cooperation Programme. She also offers recommendations on how the 2026 NPT Review Conference could address the issue of attacks on civilian nuclear facilities.
The brief was published in the first edition of the new Pugwash-Carnegie Policy Briefs on Science and World Affairs.
