The climatic effects of nuclear weapons and the need for the de-alerting of nuclear weapon stocks
Auckland Branch, Engineers for Social Responsibility
Date and Time: Wednesday 19th March 2008, 7:30pm
Venue: Room 3.407, School of Engineering, University of Auckland, 20 Symonds St, Auckland
Speaker: Steven Starr. Life-long campaigner against nuclear weapons
Abstract: Although the Cold War ended in 1991, the United States and Russia still keep hundreds of missiles armed with thousands of nuclear warheads on high-alert, which they can launch in only a few minutes. Each warhead can create an all-engulfing firestorm over an area of 40 to 65 square miles.
A nuclear war would result in catastrophic climatic effects as well as massive radioactive fallout, which would last for many years in regions far removed from the target areas or the countries involved in the conflict. Apart from the immediate casualties there would be a subsequent global failure of food production and starvation for most people on Earth.
Collapse of ecosystems and mass extinctions would be a likely outcome.
De-alerting of nuclear weapon systems is vital to prevent a planet-sized catastrophe.
Contact: Lawrence Carter, lj.c…@auckland.ac.nz
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