Effective and Comprehensive CBRN Security Risk Management in the 21st Century

The multifaceted nature of security concerns related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the 21st century requires a novel organizing principle for the international multilateral efforts focusing on the prevention of the hostile misuse of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) knowledge and materials. At the heart of this security paradigm is the need for strengthening the established international norms against the development, spread and use of WMD, and ensuring the comprehensive in-depth implementation of relevant regulatory instruments through the internalization of safety and security practices, procedures and behaviours among relevant professional communities. This paper argues that effective CBRN security risk management requires the integration of national, regional and international strategic approaches that promote and uphold the norms of WMD non-proliferation and disarmament.