Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) disinformation is defined as intentionally misleading and deceptive information about CBRN threats that can potentially cause serious political, financial, and physical harm to governments, international organizations, the scientific community, academia, industry, and the population at large.
In today’s globally interconnected, technologically advanced society, science (and Chemistry as a sub-discipline) is fundamental to our daily life. While women continue to play an increasingly important role in the chemical sciences, they are still underrepresented in many important chemical safety and security functions.
The proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons, materials and their means of delivery represents a pressing threat to international peace and security. Actors involved in the financing of such activities look to exploit loopholes in the global financial system to move and raise funds to develop CBRN programmes.
UNICRI, in cooperation with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, administers the International Network on Biotechnology (INB), a global network of academic and research institutions committed to advancing education and raising awareness about responsible life science. The INB experts exchange views and possible actions to support governments and relevant sectors of civil society (including academia, research institutions, technology companies) with a focus on emerging developments in the life sciences and biotechnology.
The first hours and days following a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) event are essential to assess the problem, mobilize appropriate national resources and experts and provide an adequate and timely international response. This cross-sectoral assistance is crucial to save lives, ease suffering, and mitigate the effects of contamination; it should therefore reach the crisis area in the shortest possible timeframe.
Successfully prosecuting a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) crime, such as the deliberate acquisition, stockpiling, production, transfer, or use/misuse of CBRN material, is a uniquely challenging process.
“Preventing and Responding to the Use of Chemical Weapons by Non-State Actors for Terrorist Purposes in Indonesia” is a project implemented in Indonesia by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with UNICRI, and in collaboration with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).
ATLAS is a pilot project which aims to prevent non-state actors from planning and carrying out chemical weapons attacks by developing and implementing training programmes in Morocco and Tunisia. Designed within the framework of the European Union CBRN Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative, the ATLAS project is implemented by UNICRI in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and with the financial support of the United States Department of State.
