3 The cost of nuclear weapons

Beyond the direct impact of nuclear weapons on individuals, a further reason why many people oppose these weapons is their astronomical cost. In 2023, the nine nuclear-armed countries in the world spent a staggering $91 billion (USD) on nuclear weapons – or $173,884 every minute. At a time when many national governments are facing budgetary pressures, these sums spent on nuclear weapons represent billions of dollars of public funds that could otherwise be diverted to areas such as healthcare and education.