Less Danger through Weapons

Disarmament projects always take place in extremely complex contexts and can only be successfully implemented if all related problems are resolved. Typical challenges in disarmament projects are the lack of finances, anxiety about health and the environment on the part of the general public, as well as economical and social structural changes. Within these complex contexts, the Legacy of Cold War Programme facilitates processes, which lead to an 'environment' allowing for a successful implementation of disarmament projects and to an increased environmental consciousness in the armies.

Projects

Conweap (=Conventional Weapons) promotes military base clean-up and conversion as well as the environmentally sound destruction of weapon inventories. Within the scope of an international co-operation project, for example, an oil-polluted missile launching base in Western Russia is being cleaned up.

Chemtrust (=Chemical weapons, Trustbuilding for their destruction) facilitates a chemical weapons destruction process safe for public health and the environment. E. g. GREEN CROSS runs several local public outreach offices providing independent and objective information to the population living around chemical weapons stockpiles.

Radleg studies the effects of the military use of radioactive substances on the environment and on human health and advocates clean-up priorities.

Conweap, Chemtrust and Radleg, are co-ordinated by Dr. Stephan Robinson, GREEN CROSS Switzerland, and are financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC) of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the American Department of Defence, the British and Swedish Governments, as well as a series of foundations.