Secretary-General's address at the Harvard Foundation

The threat of climate change is on the international radar. A second danger has receded from view but remains poised to do great harm: nuclear weapons. In discussing this question, I want to take my cue from the humanitarian theme of this event. Nuclear weapons cannot be used without jeopardizing civilians. Even a limited or regional nuclear war can alter our climate and produce famine conditions. This humanitarian perspective on nuclear weapons is attracting growing attention. People are becoming more familiar with the environmental effects of decades of nuclear tests. They are learning how close the world has come in the past to nuclear conflicts, and how “good luck” was the factor that made the difference between peace and cataclysm.