FRIEDRICH-EBERT-STIFTUNG – HUMANITARIAN ACTION ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS 6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Traditional nuclear policy arenas like the NPT—while founda­tional to the global order—are dominated by nuclear-armed states, plagued by a lack of transparency, and offer little space for creative new thinking. They still have value, but states should not dismiss complementary initiatives out of habit or ideological complacency. By contrast, the TPNW has created a space of nuclear diplomacy that is responsive to the pressing international concerns of the 21st century, including gender equity, disability justice, the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the need to mitigate environmental pollution. Discussion of TPNW provisions on victim assistance and environmental re­mediation have amplified the voices of affected communities and demonstrated an openness to civil society, humanitarian agencies, and scientific knowledge. Productive and action-oriented cooperation addressing the ongoing humanitarian and environmental impact of nuclear weapons use, testing, and related activities offers a way to build bridges between TPNW states parties and those not yet supportive of the Treaty. Victim assistance and environmental remediation programs can be conceived of as confidence and security-building mechanisms addressing the current hostile global political context. At a time of increasing tension in nuclear diplomacy, focus on humanitarian and environmental concerns could build much-needed trust in the 2022 NPT Re­view Conference. The humanitarian approach used by states in mine action—covering landmines, cluster munitions, and explosive remnants of war—offers a model of pragmatic and collaborative practice. Consequently, this study recommends that: 1. Leading mine action donor states should extend their hu­manitarian concern to communities affected by nuclear weapons activities, by providing foreign aid—including technical, material, and financial support—to victim assistance and environmental remediation efforts; 2. States that have used and/or tested nuclear devices—as well as states that contributed personnel and/or other as­sistance to such activities—have a particular responsibility to provide financial, material, and technical support to assist victims and remediate contaminated environments; 3. NPT states parties should call for the language used in the final Outcome Document of the 2022 Review Conference to welcome progress in and support for victim assistance, environmental remediation, and international coopera­tion, as well as assistance to address the humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons and other radioactive contamination; 4. States not yet party to the TPNW should engage co­operatively and productively with the Vienna Action Plan’s provisions on victim assistance and environmental remediation; 5. TPNW states parties should welcome and facilitate productive collaboration by states not yet party to the Treaty on nuclear victim assistance and environmental remediation; 6. All states should engage in other collaborative efforts to bridge the gap between TPNW state parties and states not yet party, such as by developing cooperation to address gender inequities and Indigenous concerns in nuclear disarmament policymaking; 7. States not yet party to the TPNW should reconsider their position and sign and ratify as soon as possible; 8. All states should explore additional forums for policy collaboration on nuclear victim assistance and environ­mental remediation, including the UN General Assembly First Committee, UN Human Rights Council, UN Environ­ment Assembly, and UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. 14