CTBT stands for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. It is a treaty that prohibits all nuclear weapon test explosions, and for all other nuclear explosions, in any environment. The treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, but it has not yet entered into force. The treaty is seen as a crucial step towards achieving nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
The CTBT bans all nuclear weapon test explosions and all other nuclear explosions, by everyone, everywhere: on the Earth’s surface, in the atmosphere, underwater and underground. In order for the treaty to enter into force, it must be ratified by all of the 44 states listed in Annex 2 of the treaty. These states possess nuclear reactors for power generation and for research purposes, and are considered to possess the technical capability to develop nuclear weapons.
The CTBT has been signed by 183 countries and ratified by 168 countries. However, eight of the Annex 2 countries have not yet ratified the treaty, including the US, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, and North Korea. These eight countries are considered key states in the effort to bring the treaty into force.
The CTBT also establishes a global monitoring system comprising of 337 facilities to detect and deter treaty violations. The International Monitoring System (IMS) is being developed by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) to provide data on compliance with the treaty. The IMS uses four different technologies to detect nuclear explosions: seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic and radionuclide.
The CTBT is seen as a critical step towards preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and achieving global nuclear disarmament. It is important to note that the treaty is not yet in force, and the entry into force will depend on the ratification of the remaining eight Annex 2 countries.