ICAN’s new report “Wasted: 2022 Global Nuclear Weapons Spending”

In a year alone, the nuclear-armed states wasted $82.9 billion on nuclear weapons. This statement is in the fourth annual report on global nuclear weapons produced by ICAN. The report was published on June 12, 2023, and it provides detailed information as well as key figures on each nuclear-armed country’s investment in nuclear weapons in 2022.

The report states that there are $278.6 billion in nuclear weapons contracts, as far as it is known, since reliable public information regarding nuclear forces is not available. At present, ICAN has estimated that China has 410 nuclear weapons and that North Korea has 30 nuclear weapons. Besides, North Korea is developing nuclear-capable missiles that can be launched from land or from submarines. The United States and Russia are the two countries that possess more than 5,000 nuclear weapons each.

The report also informs readers about the nuclear weapons industry as well as the companies that hire lobbyists to encourage politicians to spend tax money on nuclear weapons; this lobbying cost $113 million in 2022. Some of the companies mentioned in the report that spent money on lobbying are Airbus, Boeing, Rolls Royce and General Dynamics, among others.

Mayors for Peace, member of ICAN, warns that in nuclear weapon attacks, cities and their citizens are the targets. The use of nuclear weapon can inflict profound consequences, including devastating environmental and economic effects. In collaboration with the mayors of its 8,259 member cities, we urge the nuclear states to reduce their nuclear arsenals and end their modernization.

More on ICAN here: https://www.icanw.org/