The Obligation to Assist Victims and Remediate the Environment within a Framework of Shared Responsibility under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is the first international legally binding instrument aimed at prohibiting nuclear weapons and mitigating their catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The treaty requires states parties to take positive action in order to assist victims and remediate the natural environment affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons. The TPNW establishes a framework of shared responsibility between states parties for the effective implementation of its victim assistance and environmental remediation obligations. This briefing note outlines the views of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the scope and interpretation of the relevant TPNW provisions, as well as some of their implications for states parties. The first Meeting of States Parties adopted an ambitious Action Plan with concrete measures to begin implementing the TPNW’s victim assistance and environmental remediation obligations. It is hoped that this briefing note will inform and facilitate states’ efforts in this respect.