Written by Daniel Rietiker, Phon van den Biesen (IALANA co-presidents), in cooperation with John Burroughs, director of the UN office of IALANA and with input from Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace, German IALANA, Japan Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (JALANA), Lawyers for Social Responsibility (Canada), and from a few individual members.
Introduction
Climate change and the threat and use of nuclear weapons as well as the current Covid-19 pandemic must be considered to be among the most serious threats that humankind faces today. They have at least two features in common, namely that they are global in nature and that they can only be eliminated through global cooperation and leadership supported and assisted by the expertise and experience of civil society. It is likely that the current Covid-19 pandemic is only a first example of different forms of global pandemics that humanity will face more frequently in the near future. Two of those threats, nuclear weapons and climate change, are part of IALANA’s policy in the near future and are, therefore, covered in the present paper.
This paper is intended to summarize the near future of IALANA’s policy and to come up with projects that keep it relevant in the field. It lays out the organization’s priorities for the next 5 to 10 years. It is to be used for fund raising. It shall also allow IALANA members to decide whether, and to what extent, they want to be actively involved in our organization. They can sign up to certain projects and commit to their realization. Moreover, it may also help to involve a more diverse, new generation of lawyers. IALANA should seek to better connect with other civil society organizations dealing with nuclear weapons and/or human rights, climate change and development.
