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The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) assesses nuclear security in 176 countries

Full rankings are available  on the website, www.ntiindex.org.  

NTI Launches Nuclear Materials Security Index Global Priorities for Security Needed All Governments Can Do More WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) today released a first-of-its-kind, public baseline assessment of the status of nuclear materials security conditions in 176 countries. The NTI Nuclear Materials Security Index underscores that there is no global consensus about what steps matter most to secure some of the world’s most dangerous materials against theft and recommends actions to hold countries accountable, increase transparency and benchmark progress.
Released ahead of the March 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, the NTI Index examines nuclear materials security conditions in 32 countries with one kilogram or more of weapons-usable nuclear materials, as well as in 144 additional states that have less than one kilogram of this material, or none, but could be used as safe havens, staging grounds or transit points for illicit nuclear activities.
“There is evidence today that the elements of a perfect storm are in place: an ample supply of weapons-usable nuclear materials—some of it poorly secured—and the determination of terrorist organizations that have publicly stated their desire to acquire and use nuclear weapons,” said NTI Co-Chairman and former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn. “We know that to get the materials they need, terrorists will go where the material is most vulnerable. Global nuclear security is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain.”
The report, NTI Nuclear Materials Security Index: Building a Framework for Assurance, Accountability and Action, was developed with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and assesses countries with weapons-usable nuclear materials across five categories: Quantities and Sites, Security and Control Measures, Global Norms, Domestic Commitments and Capacity, and Societal Factors.  The 144 states without weapons-usable materials are assessed across a subset of these categories.
Country Rankings
Australia ranks number one out of the 32 states with weapons-usable nuclear materials, with Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria rounding out the top five.  The United Kingdom ranks highest among nuclear-armed states at 10; the United States ranks 13th.  Among countries without weapons-usable nuclear materials, Denmark earns the top spot. Full rankings are available  on the website, www.ntiindex.org………  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nti-launches-nuclear-materials-security-index-137090898.html

January 12, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, safety