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Weapons of mass destruction as a global issue: VCE Politics Unit 3

Syllabus dot point

“Weapons of mass destruction as one of the four permitted global issues: recent causes, arms control treaties, responses of states and institutions, and challenges to resolution”

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Quick answer

Weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological) remain in many arsenals. Recent developments include the expiry of New START in February 2026, the 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and the reimposition of UN sanctions, North Korea's programs and chemical weapons use. The NPT, Chemical Weapons Convention, Biological Weapons Convention, IAEA and Security Council respond, along with NGOs, but treaties depend on consent, lack universal membership and face great-power rivalry, so effectiveness is partial.

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  1. What this dot point is asking
  2. The answer
  3. Worked example
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What this dot point is asking

The design notes that chemical, biological and nuclear weapons are part of many states' arsenals; arms control seeks a more stable world, but states keep weapons as an option or threat; and possession raises the danger of weapons reaching illegal non-state actors. You must apply this to short-term causes, responses, law and challenges.

The answer

Short-term causes and developments

  • Great-power rivalry and the war in Ukraine. Russia suspended participation in New START in 2023 and has made nuclear threats during the war. New START expired on 5 February 2026, leaving no legally binding limits on United States and Russian strategic arsenals for the first time in decades. In September 2025 Russia had offered to observe the treaty's central limits informally for a year; check the latest position before your assessment.
  • China's growing arsenal has fuelled calls for arms control to include more than two states, though China has resisted trilateral limits.
  • Iran. After the United States left the Iran nuclear deal (2018), Iran expanded its enrichment. In June 2025 Israel and the United States struck Iranian nuclear sites, and UN sanctions were reimposed on Iran in September 2025 after European states triggered the snapback mechanism (a process that restores earlier UN sanctions). A further United States and Israeli military campaign against Iran began in late February 2026, and the IAEA stopped conducting verification activities in Iran. As at the IAEA's report of 1 September 2026, the agency could not provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile. A United States-Iran memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June 2026 was declared "over" by President Trump on 8 July 2026. These developments are fast-moving, so check for later ones.
  • North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test in 2017 and continues missile development.
  • Chemical weapons use. The 2018 Novichok poisoning in Salisbury and the use of chemical weapons in Syria, investigated by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, show the norm against them being tested.
  • Technology such as hypersonic missiles and advances in biology complicate verification.

Interconnectedness

Technology, scientific knowledge and trade in dual-use materials spread across borders, which makes control difficult. Conflict in one region (such as Ukraine or the Middle East) shapes nuclear risk everywhere.

Responses and law

Instrument Core idea Limit
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Non-nuclear states forgo weapons; nuclear states pursue disarmament India, Pakistan, Israel outside it; North Korea withdrew
Chemical Weapons Convention Bans development, stockpiling and use; has an inspectorate Compliance disputes, use by states and non-state actors
Biological Weapons Convention Bans biological weapons No formal verification system
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (in force 2021) Bans nuclear weapons for its parties No nuclear-armed state has joined
UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions Can bind all members Veto power of the five permanent members
  • Institutions. The International Atomic Energy Agency inspects nuclear facilities; the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons monitors the chemical weapons ban; the Security Council can impose sanctions.
  • Non-state actors. NGOs such as the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Nobel Peace Prize 2017) campaign for disarmament; terrorist groups and criminal networks are the actors that arms controls aim to keep from acquiring weapons.
  • States choose between deterrence and arms control. Nuclear-armed states argue that weapons deter attack; others argue they raise the risk of catastrophe.
Key fact

Effectiveness is easiest to judge in terms of norms and numbers. Treaties have limited proliferation and cut arsenals since the Cold War peak, yet recent developments (the end of New START, the Iran strikes) show that the structure is under strain.

Challenges and stability or change

Security dilemmas, verification problems, the Security Council veto, and rivalry between nuclear states. Weakening arms control can raise the likelihood of arms races and encourage other states to consider acquiring weapons, changing regional stability.

Worked example

Question. Evaluate the effectiveness of international law in reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

Model answer outline. For: the NPT has wide membership and the norm against use of chemical weapons is widely accepted; bilateral treaties cut deployed arsenals until recently. Against: New START expired in February 2026 without a replacement; nuclear-armed states have not joined the prohibition treaty; verification for biological weapons is absent. Judgement: effective at maintaining norms, increasingly ineffective at constraining the most powerful holders.

Common trap

Do not list treaties without evaluating them. For each, state who is covered, who is not, and whether it has worked.

Try this

Q1
Why does states' possession of WMD risk the weapons reaching non-state actors? Model answer: Stockpiles and materials could be stolen, sold or diverted if security is weak.
Q2
Explain why the Security Council may struggle to respond to a WMD crisis. Model answer: Any permanent member can veto action, so rivalry between members can block resolutions.
Q3
Outline the significance of New START's expiry. Model answer: It ended the last legally binding limits and inspections between the United States and Russia, raising the risk of an arms race.

Practise this

Sources & how we know this

Based on the official VCAA study design. Not yet individually reviewed by a person; always check VCAA and your school's materials for current rules.

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