Pursuing Nuclear Disarmament 70 Years After Castle Bravo Catastrophe: Teri Elbon, Marshall Islands

On 1 March 1954, the US test detonated the hydrogen bomb Castle Bravo in the Marshall Islands. The blast had 1,000 times the explosive power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima and created the worst radiological disaster in the US’s testing history. It caused widespread radioactive contamination that exposed people to “radioactive ashes that caused immediate and long-term health and environmental effects” that continue to affect the people of the Marshall Islands.

Growing up in the Pacific islands, Teri has always been aware of the vulnerabilities of island nations to global challenges and the urgency of international cooperation. She was particularly inspired by the RMI’s leadership in pushing for the 1.5-degree temperature target in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

I felt compelled to be part of the global conversations that directly impact my country, 

she says. Today, she is at the centre of the Marshall Islands’ multilateral efforts, which also include nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

In her view, the need for global disarmament is ever more urgent as nuclear powers modernize their arsenals. 

The 70th anniversary of the Bravo test in 2024 and the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 2025, serve as stark reminders that nuclear weapons are not just a relic of the past. The need for disarmament is urgent.

– Teri Elbon, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Marshall Islands