Council on Strategic Risks
Project Title
For one time funding for a project to strengthen the Outer Space Treaty and deter nuclear weaponization of space as part of a Request for Proposals for the Consortium to Reduce Nuclear Dangers
Date
Dec. 11, 2025
Duration
12 months
Description
Without verification provisions, the Outer Space Treaty’s (OST) prohibition on placing nuclear weapons in orbit has become increasingly fragile, fueling misperceptions and creating incentives for a destabilizing first move. To address this gap, the Council on Strategic Risks, in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and the Secure World Foundation, proposes a novel dialogue series to convene nuclear verification and space security experts, diplomats, scientists, and commercial actors to explore pathways for verifying the absence of nuclear weapons on satellites and strengthening OST implementation. The project will develop actionable recommendations for policymakers at the UN and national governments, aiming to deter nuclear deployments in space and reinforce global norms against the placement and use of nuclear weapons in space.
Project Title
For a project on defining the future of arms control
Date
Sep. 10, 2020
Duration
20 months
Description
By 2021 the world may have no remaining nuclear arms control agreements,which would significantly increase risk and uncertainty among nuclear powers. To help policymakers understand this new landscape, the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR), in partnership with its international network of experts, will identify options to mitigate these risks. CSR will seek to develop consensus over which types of nuclear delivery vehicles and deterrence practices pose the highest risk. Throughworking with experts in and out of government,the project will identify practical steps to reduce these highest priority risks. This process will focus not only on goals but on interim steps, from negotiating processes to verification measures, that will be necessary for success.