A century of chemical weapons: use, prohibition, and elimination

This monograph provides a comprehensive examination of the history, regulation, and elimination of chemical weapons over the past century. It traces the development of chemical warfare from its large-scale use during World War I to the establishment of international legal frameworks aimed at prohibiting and dismantling these weapons. The study explores major milestones in chemical weapons disarmament, including the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), while also analyzing the role of international institutions, particularly the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), in overseeing compliance and stockpile destruction.

The monograph highlights the remarkable success of international disarmament efforts, culminating in July 2023 with the destruction of the last declared chemical weapon under OPCW verification. This achievement demonstrates the effectiveness of global cooperation, legal frameworks, and verification mechanisms in eliminating an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, the study emphasizes that chemical security challenges persist, including the risk of chemical terrorism, the misuse of toxic industrial chemicals, and threats associated with dual-use technologies. The findings underscore the need for continued international vigilance, cooperation, and enforcement of non-proliferation measures to prevent the re-emergence of chemical warfare.