Nuclear (2)- Reading Assignment

Consequences of Nuclear Weapons

Presented by Steven Starr, Physicians for Social Responsibility 

In the debate on nuclear weapons, there is an urgent need to put human and planetary survival back in the forefront of discussions. This article offers ecological and 1)humanitarian perspectives that demonstrate the urgent need to transform outdated doctrines and postures in order that the nuclear weapons problem can be finally and firmly resolved. 

Recent scientific studies have found that a war fought with the deployed U.S. and Russian nuclear 2)arsenals would leave Earth virtually uninhabitable. In fact, NASA computer models have shown that even a “successful” first strike by Washington or Moscow would inflict 3)catastrophic environmental damage that would make agriculture impossible and cause mass starvation. Similarly, in the January 2010 edition of Scientific American, Alan Robock and Brian Toon, the foremost experts on the climatic impact of nuclear war, warn that the environmental consequences of a “regional” nuclear war fought between India and Pakistan would cause a global 4)famine that could kill one billion people.

Robock and Toon predict that the detonation of 100 15-kiloton nuclear weapons in Indian and Pakistani megacities would create urban firestorms that would loft 5 million tons of thick, black smoke above cloud level, which would engulf the entire planet within 10 days. Because the smoke couldn't be rained out, it would remain in the 5)stratosphere for at least a decade and have profoundly 6)disruptive effects.

Specifically, the smoke layer would heat the upper atmosphere, and cause massive destruction of protective stratospheric ozone, while simultaneously blocking warming sunlight and creating Ice Age weather conditions on Earth.

Humans have had some experience with this sort of deadly global climate change. In 1815, the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history took place in Indonesia. Mount Tambora exploded and created a stratospheric layer of sulphuric acid droplets that blocked sunlight from reaching Earth. During the following year, which was known as “The Year without Summer,” the north-eastern United States experienced snowstorms in June and 7)debilitating frosts every month of the year, and there was famine in Europe. 

Robock, Toon, and their colleagues predict that 10 years after a regional nuclear war, Earth's average surface temperatures would still be as cold, or colder, than they were in 1816. Most likely, the long-lived smoke layer would produce a “decade without a summer”. Deadly climate change from nuclear war was first described as “nuclear winter” in the 1980s, and large studies were conducted on this subject by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the World Meteorological Organization, and the International Council for Science’s Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment. New research has found that these early studies significantly underestimated the climatic and environmental consequences of nuclear war.

In order to comprehensively address all facets of the consequences of nuclear weapons, the UN Secretary-General should establish a group of governmental experts to study the effects of the production, modernization, and use of nuclear weapons and of potential paths to 8)disarmament which had also been conducted from 1960s to 1980s. As for now in twenty-first century, it is time for a new UN study on these issues as such:

1. Nuclear risks, including arsenals, postures, 9)doctrines, and the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons;

2. Challenges to nuclear disarmament, including the modernization of nuclear weapons and related infrastructure and nuclear-armed alliances;

3. The economic, human security, and international law consequences of current policies; and

4. Expected benefits of nuclear disarmament achieved through the 10)negotiation of a nuclear weapons convention or a step-by-step approach. 

Another recommendation will be that the UN Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization conduct 11)substantial research on the ecological and agricultural consequences of nuclear war. In particular, they should utilize the precisely predicted decreases in sunlight, temperature, precipitation, and ozone noted in the recent peer reviewed studies to evaluate the consequences of both regional and strategic nuclear war. 

Ordinary people everywhere understand the great 12)perils of nuclear weapons. The terrible earthquake in Haiti killed roughly the same number of people as the two 13)primitive atomic bombs dropped by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Haiti disaster has shown us once again that there could be no 14)adequate response to the catastrophe of a far larger nuclear explosion in a city anywhere today. Of course, there is a fundamental difference between these scenarios: while the earthquake was an unavoidable natural occurrence, a nuclear war would be completely manmade, and entirely preventable.

This article is taken from http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/issues/effects/PDFs/2010_10_25_starr_1stcomm.pdf

NO.	WORDS	DEFINITIONS	EXAMPLES
1.	Humanitarian	Ø  (a person who is) involved in or connected with improving people's lives and reducing suffering.	This article offers ecological and humanitarian perspectives that demonstrate the urgent need to transform outdated doctrines and postures in order that the nuclear weapons problem can be finally and firmly resolved.
2.	Arsenals	Ø  a collection of weapons and military equipment stored by a country, person, or group.	A war fought with the deployed U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals would leave Earth virtually uninhabitable.
3	Catastrophic	Ø  a sudden disaster that causes great suffering or damage Ø  an event that causes great difficulty or disappointment	In fact, NASA computer models have shown that even a “successful” first strike by Washington or Moscow would inflict catastrophic environmental damage that would make agriculture impossible and cause mass starvation.
4.	Famine	Ø  a lack of food over a long period of time in a large area that can cause the death of many people	The environmental consequences of a “regional” nuclear war fought between India and Pakistan would cause a global famine that could kill one billion people
5.	Stratosphere	Ø  later of gases surrounding the earth at a height of between 15 and 50 kilometres that is not affected by the weather and in which the temperature increases with the height	The smoke couldn't be rained out, it would remain in the stratosphere for at least a decade
6.	Disruptive	Ø  causing or tending to cause disruption	The smoke couldn't be rained out, it would remain in the stratosphere for at least a decade and have profoundly disruptive effects
7.	Debilitating	Ø  (of a disease or condition) making someone very weak and infirm.	During the following year, which was known as “The Year without Summer,” the north-eastern United States experienced snowstorms in June and debilitating frosts every month of the year, and there was famine in Europe.
8.	Disarmament	Ø  reducing the number of weapons that a country has	Challenges to nuclear disarmament, including the modernization of nuclear weapons and related infrastructure and nuclear-armed alliances.
9.	Doctrine	Ø  a set of beliefs that is taught by a church, political party etc.	Nuclear risks, including arsenals, postures, doctrine, and the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.
10.	Negotiation	Ø  discussion aimed at reaching an agreement	Expected benefits of nuclear disarmament achieved through the negotiation of a nuclear weapons convention or a step-by-step approach.
11.	Substantial	Ø  of considerable importance, size or worth Ø  concerning the essentials of something Ø  real and tangible rather than imaginary	Another recommendation will be that the UN Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization conduct substantial research on the ecological and agricultural consequences of nuclear war
12.	Perils	Ø  something that is very dangerous	Ordinary people everywhere understand the great perils of nuclear weapons
13.	Primitive	Ø  very simple and not developed Ø  (only before a noun) connected with a very early stage in development of humans or animals	The terrible earthquake in Haiti killed roughly the same number of people as the two primitive atomic bombs dropped by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
14.	Adequate	Ø  just good enough ; acceptable	The Haiti disaster has shown us once again that there could be no adequate response to the catastrophe of a far larger nuclear explosion in a city anywhere today.
15.	Fundamental	Ø  central or primary rule or principle on which something is based	There is a fundamental difference between these scenarios: while the earthquake was an unavoidable natural occurrence, a nuclear war would be completely manmade, and entirely preventable.