Political Fallout

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The narrative explores one of the first human-driven global environmental crises: radioactive fallout from Cold War nuclear weapons testing and the subsequent international response. Beginning in 1945, the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union detonated hundreds of nuclear weapons, dispersing vast amounts of radioactivity worldwide. The extensive contamination and slow radioactive decay have left lasting effects on humans and the environment that remain challenging to fully grasp. The global debate over nuclear fallout reframed radioactive contamination as an environmental issue, culminating in the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) in 1963. Toshihiro Higuchi examines how the PTBT, initially an arms control measure, evolved into a dual-purpose initiative aimed at curbing both the nuclear arms race and radioactive pollution. Drawing from sources in English, Russian, and Japanese, Higuchi highlights the differing scientific perspectives that emerged in the 1950s and how public awareness of the risks associated with radioactive fallout influenced policy decisions. The work delves into the implications of science and policymaking during the Anthropocene, a time when humanity grapples with environmental changes of its own making.