Nuclear Testing in a No-Test World: Verification, Politics, and Risk – with Prof Trevor Findlay

When President Trump announced last year that the US might resume nuclear weapons testing, it raised a question the world hasn't had to seriously consider in decades: what happens if they do?In this episode, Liz Williams sits down with Professor Trevor Findlay, a nuclear governance expert who was involved in the early diplomatic work that became the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The CTBT exists, the monitoring network is nearly complete, and the organisation behind it is operating, but the treaty never entered into force. What would states would actually do if testing resumes? In this conversation, Trevor shares insights into how the treaty and accompanying verification system was built, why it was designed the way it was, and what it all means now that nuclear testing is once again in the news.CREDITSGuest: Professor Trevor Findlay is an honorary professor at the University of Melbourne with expertise in nuclear governance. He has spent many years working on the issue of nuclear testing and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and its verification system.Host: A/Prof Liz Williams is the Interim Director of the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network and Nuclear Systems Discipline Lead for the ANU School of Engineering.Audio producer: Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio)A note of correction: When posting this episode, Liz - who typically struggles with remembering names on a good day - realized she dropped 'Nuclear' from Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty consistently. This is incorrect. When stating the full treaty or organisation name, one should include the 'nuclear', just as Trevor does consistently throughout the episode. We'll work on correcting the audio, but for now, just remember the treaty / organisation acronym drops the N, but the full name does not.The usual end matterNuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society and the ANU Nuclear Stewardship Network. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this podcast is being recorded on or listened to, and pay our respects to their Elders – and all First Nations people.If you want to send us some feedback on an episode, email us at [email protected] in mind that this podcast is intended for information and education only. In particular, nothing in this episode is intended to serve as medical advice - please consult a qualified medical practitioner.The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the official policy or position of the Australian National University College of Systems and Society or the University as a whole.