ABSTRACT
The deliberate, accidental or inadvertent use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD—nuclear, biological and chemical weapons) poses the greatest existential threat to the planet and humankind. And yet, the international organizations and regimes established to disarm and prevent their proliferation remain woefully inadequate. These institutions—created during the Cold War—are facing challenges in the twenty-first century from states within and without regimes, as well as non-state actors, including terrorist groups. The rapid development and diffusion of new technology poses additional challenges to these regimes. How can these formal and informal regimes evolve to address the original and emerging threats? To answer this question, this chapter provides a historical overview and assessment of the regimes before examining the current challenges, and possible ways forward.
