New anti-nuclear campaign to stop funding of nuclear weapons

A coalition of anti-nuclear organizations is launching a campaign to get governments and investors to stop funding the development of nuclear weapons.

Alyn Ware, global co-ordinator of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, told a news conference Thursday that the global nuclear weapons budget is estimated at $100 billion annually, over half spent by the United States.

He said the campaign to “Count the Nuclear Weapons Money” is aimed at curtailing a dangerous nuclear arms race by cutting off the budgets and investments that fund the weapons.

Ware said the campaign wants the money used to tackle climate change, poverty and inequality.

He said “the nuclear weapons industry is powerful and wealthy” but the campaign can take back the power by supporting legislative efforts to cut budgets and stop investments.