Think Zone

Following requests from States Parties and other stakeholders, the Implementation Support Unit undertook to find space on its website to provide a portal to interesting bits and pieces that might help with preparations for the review conference in 2011.

This page is the first iteration of the ISU's efforts to help support these preparations. Below you will find links to articles, press releases, papers and other resources that either caught the ISU's eye or have been brought to their attention by others. Plans are also under development to add additional online collaboration tools to the think zone.

If you have come across something that you think should be on this page, but is not at the moment, please email the document or a link directly to the ISU .

Biosecurity & Biosafety

• Jean-Pascal Zanders (ed.) “ Setting a Standard for Stakeholdership - Industry Contribution To a Strengthened Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention ”,     Egmont - Royal Institute for International Relations, Brussels; EU Institute for Security Studies, Paris, December 2011.
• Bill Would Establish Global Biosecurity Body , Global Security Newswire, 5 October 2010
• Mickey McCarter, Biosecurity Bill Aims to Boost International WMD Cooperation , Homeland Security Today, 6 October 2010
• Dana Perkins and Kathleen Danskin, On the Front Line of Biodefense: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Support to International Biological Risk Management Regimes , Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense 2011, 2:111
• Barry Kellman, The Biological Weapons Convention and the Democratization of Mass Violence, Global Policy , Vol. 2 Issue 2, May 2011
• The IFBA Declaration on Advancing Global Biosafety and Biosecurity , International Federation of Biosafety Associations,17 February 2011
• Gregory Koblentz, Biosecurity Reconsidered: Calibrating Biological Threats and Responses , International Security, Vol. 34, 2010
• Lynn C. Klotz and Edward J. Sylvester, Biohazard: Why U.S. Bioterror Research Is More Dangerous Than Bioterrorism , Foreign Policy, 13 October 2009
• Dirk Stemerding et al, Implementing Biosecurity in (Bio-)Scientific Research in the Netherlands , Rathenau Instituut, November 2011
• Iraq   Ministry   of   Science   and   Technology, National Workshop on Biological Risk Management , 20-21 September, Baghdad, Iraq

Science and Technology

• Hans Bugl et al, DNA Synthesis and Biological Security , Nature Biotechnology, Vol. 25 No.6, June 2007
• Royal Society, Brain Waves: Investigating Developments in Neuroscience and Their Implications for Society and Public Policy , 2011
• US National Academies, Trends in Science and Technology Relevant to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Summary of an International Workshop , 2011
• Kai Ilchmann, James Revill, Caitríona McLeish & Paul Nightingale, Synthetic Biology & the BWC , S&T Reviews, 2011
• Kai Ilchmann, James Revill, Caitríona McLeish & Paul Nightingale, Vaccine Development & the BWC , S&T Reviews, 2011
• James Revill, Kai Ilchmann, Caitríona McLeish & Paul Nightingale, Disease Reporting & the BWC , S&T Reviews, 2011
• James Revill, Kai Ilchmann, Caitríona McLeish & Paul Nightingale, Proposals for Changing the S&T Reviews , S&T Reviews, 2011
• Kai Ilchmann, James Revill, Caitríona McLeish & Paul Nightingale, Nanotechnology & the BWC , S&T Reviews, 2011
• John Hart & Ralf Trapp, Science and Technology and their Impact on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention , SIPRI, April 2011
• John Hart, The Convergence of Chemistry and the Life Sciences: Some Policy Implications for the Chemical Weapons Convention , SIPRI, April 2011
• Malcom Dando, Advances in Neuroscience and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention , Biotechnology Research International, Volume 2011
• Malcom Dando, Science, Technology, and the Bioweapons Treaty , The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 13 May 2010
• Meredith Wadman, US Report Sets Ground Rules for Artificial Life , Nature, 16 December 2010
• Heidi Ledford, Garage Biotech: Life Hackers , Nature, Vol. 467, 6 October 2010
• Biosafety Level 3 and 4 Labs , Federation of Atomic Scientists
• Amy E. Smithson, Pathogens and Arms Control: Can Bioscience Police Itself? , Survival: Global Politics and Strategy, Vol. 52, October-November 2010
• U.S. National Academies, in cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, IAP—The Global Network of Science Academies, International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, International Union of Microbiological Societies, Life Sciences and Related Fields: Trends Relevant to the Biological Weapons Convention , National Academies Press, 2011
• ISU, Scientific and Technological Developments that may be Relevant to the Convention , October 2011

Disease & Health Surveillance

• Tokiko Watanabe & Yoshihiro Kawaoka, Pathogenesis of the 1918 Pandemic Influenza Virus, PLoS Pathogens , Volume 7 Issue 1, January 2011
• Marian Turner, Germany Learns from E. coli Outbreak , Nature, 12 September 2011
• Sabrina Richard, Same School, New Infection? , The Scientist, 14 September 2011
• Committee on Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems: BioWatch and the Public Health System, National Research Council, BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance: Evaluating Systems for the Early Detection of Biological Threats: Abbreviated Version , National Academies Press, 2011
• Improving the Nation’s Ability to Detect and Respond to 21st Century Urgent Health Threats: Second Report of the National Biosurveillance Subcommittee , National Biosurveillance Subcommittee, Aprill 2011
• P. C. F. Oyston and C. Davies, Q Fever: The Neglected Biothreat Agent , Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol. 60 No. 1, January 2011
• Mitali Sarkar-Tyson and Helen S. Atkins, Antimicrobials for Bacterial Bioterrorism Agents, Future Microbiology , Vol. 6 No. 6, June 2011
• RT Network, Man-made super-flu could kill half humanity , 24 November 2011

Dual Use

• Kirk Bansak, Biodefense and Transparency: The Dual-Use Dilemma , Nonproliferation Review, Volume 18 Issue 2, 2011
• Seumas Miller, Michael J. Selgelid and Koos van der Bruggen, Report on Biosecurity and Dual Use Research: A Report for the Dutch Research Council , January 2011
• Case Studies in Dual Use Biological Research , Federation of American Scientists, (Also available in French and Chinese )
• Jonathan Tucker, Double-Edged DNA: Preventing the Misuse of Gene Synthesis , Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2010
• Koos van der Bruggen, Possibilities, Intentions and Threats: Dual Use in the Life Sciences Reconsidered , Science and Engineering Ethics, 17 February 2011
• Gunnar Jeremias & Iris Hunger, Building Transparency in the World Wide Trade of Biological Dual Use Equipment , Research Group for Biological Arms Control, December 2010

Intersessional Process

• BWC ISU, Common Understandings Identified during the 2007 to 2010 Intersessional Process of the Biological Weapons Convention , March 2011

• Piers Millet ed., Improving Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention: The 2007-2010 Intersessional Process , UNIDIR, October 2011

• Kirk Bansak, Enhancing Compliance With an Evolving Treaty: A Task for an Improved BWC Intersessional Process , Arms Control Today, June 2011

• Cindy Vestergaard and Animesh Roul, A (F)utile Intersessional Process? Strengthening the BWC by Defining Its Scope , The Nonproliferation Review, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011

CBM’s

• Gregor D. Koblentz and Marie Isabelle, Modernizing Confidence-Building Measures for the Biological Weapons Convention , Biosecurity & Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, & Science, Vol. 9, September 2011

Education/Awareness

• Judi Sture & Masamichi Minehata, More BTWC Education Needed for Life Scientists, Op-Ed , Virtual Biosecurity Center, Federation of American Scientists, 16 August 2011

• Masamichi Minehata, Education and Biosecurity , The Diplomat, 19 August 2011

• Edward W. Lempinen, FBI, AAAS Collaborate on Ambitious Outreach to Biotech Researchers and DIY Biologists , AAAS News, 1 April 2011

• Brian Rappert ed., Education and Ethics in the Life Sciences: Strengthening the Prohibition of Biological Weapons , Australian National University Press, July 2010

• Committee on Education on Dual Use Issues in the Life Sciences; National Research Council, Challenges and Opportunities for Education About Dual Use Issues in the Life Sciences , National Academies Press, 2010

• Committee on Laboratory Security and Personnel Reliability Assurance Systems for Laboratories Conducting Research on Biological Select Agents and Toxins; National Research Council, Responsible Research with Biological Select Agents and Toxins , National Academies Press, 2009

• Murray L. Cohen, Op-Ed — The Proper Balance of Science, Safety, and Security… It’s Only Achievable Through Sustainable, Competency-Based Training That is Consistent Around the World , Virtual Biosecurity Center, 14 June 2011

Terrorism

• Elisande Nexon and Angela Woodward, How to address the subnational actor threat and effective participation in the biological non-proliferation regime , FRS note no. 18/11, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, 15 November 2011

• UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, Interagency coordination in the event of a terrorist attack using chemical or biological weapons or material , November 2011

• Erika Check Hayden, Pentagon Rethinks Bioterror Effort , Nature, Vol. 477, 21 September 2011

• Jim Monke, Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness , Congressional Research Service, 12 March 2007

• Wils S Hylton, How Ready Are We for Bioterrorism? , New York Times Magazine, 27 October 2011

BWC in the News

• Jonathan Tucker, Is Washington Prepared to Lead at the BWC Review Conference? , Arms Control Today, January/February 2011

• Statement of the G8 Foreign Ministers on the 7th Review Conference for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention , March 2011

• Martin Matishak, G-8 Diplomats Endorse Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference , 16 March 2011

• Nicholas Sims, The 7th Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention: Ambitious Realism for a Recovering Treaty , Disarmament Times, Vol.34 No.1, Spring 2011

• Barry Kellman, Barry Kellman Speech to the the Biological Weapons Convention PrepCon, International Security and Biopolicy Institute, 12 April 2011

• David Hoffman, Biohazard: What the World Doesn’t Know About Germ Warfare , Foreign Policy, 29 July 2010

Background Papers

• Background Information Paper - History and operation of the confidence-building measures   - Submitted by the ISU

• Background Information Paper - New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention   - Submitted by the ISU

• Background Information Paper - Developments since the last Review Conference in other international organizations which may be relevant to the Convention   - Submitted by the ISU

• Background Information Paper - Additional understandings and agreements reached by previous Review Conferences relating to each article of the Convention   - Submitted by the ISU

• Background Information Paper - Common understandings reached by the Meetings of States Parties during the intersessional programme held from 2007 to 2010   - Submitted by the ISU

• Background Information Paper - Status of universalization of the Convention   - Submitted by the ISU

• Una Becker-Jakob, Notions of Justice in the Biological Weapons Control Regime , PRIF Working Paper No. 9, August 2011

• Noël Stott, Africa and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction , Institute for Security Studies Issue 10, November 2011

Working Papers

• Illustrative Model Intersessional Work Programme: Task Group Structure and Agenda Items: A UK Proposal   (As submitted as an official document)

• UK Discussion Paper: The BTWC’s Article VII: Options for Implementation and Proposal for Intersessional Work     (As submitted as an official document)

• Proposal for Structured and Systematic Review of S&T Developments under the BTWC - Submitted by India   (As submitted as an official document)

• Strengthening biosafety and security while the convergence of biology and chemistry has increased: building joint responses between the BTWC and CWC regimes against misuse of biological and chemical agents   - Submitted by Poland

• Germany, Norway and Switzerland, working paper on review an update of the CBMs   (as submitted as an official document)

• Norway, New Zealand and Switzerland, Working Paper on the Confidence Building Measures , Draft Review Conference Working Paper

• Belgium, working paper on CBM D   (as submitted as an official document)

• Belgium, working paper on biorisk management standards   (as submitted as an official document)

• Finland, working paper on biothreat preparedness   (as submitted as an official document)

• United Kingdom, working paper on decision-making in the intersessional process   (as submitted as an official document)

• Australia, Japan and New Zealand, working paper on a working group to address compliance issues   (as submitted as an official document)

• Australia and Japan, working paper on the next intersessional period 2012-2015   (as submitted as an official document)

• Australia, Japan and New Zealand, working paper on the annual review of advances in science and technology   (as submitted as an official document)

• Germany, working paper on CBMs and compliance   (as submitted as an official document)

• Germany, working paper on an intersessional bureau   (as submitted as an official document)

• United States, The Next Intersessional Process   (as submitted as an official document)

• Japan, Working Paper on the role of the ISU (as submitted as an official document)

European Union

• Council Decision relating to the position of the European Union for the Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction , 2011/429/CFSP, 18 July 2011

VERTIC

• Rocío Escauriaza Leal, Universalizing the BWC: Challenges and Opportunities , Trust & Verify, No. 134, July-September 2011, 8-12

• Nicholas A. Sims, Strengthening Biological Disarmament at the BWC 7th Review Conference , Trust & Verify, No. 133, April-June 2011, 1-6

• Scott Spence, A Civil Society Response to the Challenges of Regulating Biosecurit y, Trust & Verify, No. 131, October-December 2010, 10-13

• Angela Woodward, Biological and Chemical Terrorism: Assessing the Threat in Asia , Trust & Verify, No. 128, January-March 2010, 8-13

• Kara Allen with Scott Pence, and Rocío Escauriaza Leal, Chemical and Biological Weapons Use in the Rome Statute: A Case for Change , VERTIC Brief, No. 14, February 2011

• Report on VERTIC’s Technical Coordination Meeting: For Legislative Assistance Facilitators and Providers in the Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons Fields , VERTIC Brief, No. 9, March 2009

• Workshop Report: “Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540 at the National Level: Promotion of Best Practices and Policy and Technical Co-ordination and Co-operation” , Clingendael/VERTIC, March 2009

The Nonproliferation Review – Special Issue: Global Perspectives on Re-envisioning the Biological Weapons Convention

( T he special issue is the product of a joint project of the European Union Institute for Security Studies and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies . The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Collaboration of Taylor and Francis, the publisher of the journal, have made the contents of this special issue available for those involved with the review conference FREE OF COST).

• Jean Pascal Zanders and Amy E. Smithson, Ensuring the Future of the Biological Weapons Convention, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 479-487

• Cindy Vestergaard and Animesh Roul, A (F)utile Intersessional Process? Strengthening the BWC by Defining Its Scope, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 489-497

• Nicholas A. Sims and Jez Littlewood, Ambitious Incrementalism: Enhancing BWC Implementation in the Absence of a Verification Protocol, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 499-511

• Iris Hunger and Shen Dingli, Improving Transparency: Revisiting and Revising the BWC's Confidence-Building Measures, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 513-526

• Caitríona McLeish and Ralf Trapp, The Life Sciences Revolution and the BWC: Reconsidering the Science and Technology Review Process in a Post-Proliferation World, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 527-543

• Philippe Stroot and Ursula Jenal, A New Approach: Contributing to BWC Compliance via Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Biorisk Management, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 545-555

• Roger Roffey and Chandré Gould, Preventing Misuse of the Life Sciences: The Need to Improve Biodefense Transparency and Accountability in the BWC, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 557-569

• Filippa Lentzos, Hard to Prove: The Verification Quandary of the Biological Weapons Convention, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 571-582

• Jean Pascal Zanders and Amy E. Smithson, Creating a More Robust BWC Regime: A Time for Action, Vol. 18 Issue 3, 2011, 583-590

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists BWC Special Edition

• Nicholas A. Sims, A simple treaty, a complex fulfillment: A short history of the Biological Weapons Convention Review Conferences , Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists May/June 2011 67: 8-15

• Katherine Bowman, Kathryn Hughes, and Jo L. Husbands, Moving forward: Trends in science and technology and the future of the Biological Weapons Convention , Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists May/June 2011 67: 16-25

• Filippa Lentzos, Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention confidence-building measures: Toward a cycle of engagement , Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists May/June 2011 67: 26-33

• Caitríona McLeish, Status quo or evolution: What next for the intersessional process of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention? , Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists May/June 2011 67: 34-4

• Brian Rappert, A teachable moment for biological weapons: The Seventh BWC Review Conference and the need for international cooperation in education , Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists May/June 2011 67: 44-50

Disarmament Forum BWC Special Edition

• Piers Millett, Why the 2011 BTWC RevCon might not be business as usual , Disarmament Forum, No.1, 2011

• Neil Davison &Kavita Burger, Bringing science to security: soft implementation of the BTWC ,     Disarmament Forum, No.1, 2011

• Gary Burns, Karen Byers, Teck Mean Chua, Heather Sheeley and Brad Goble, Biosafety professionals as stakeholders in the BTWC ,     Disarmament Forum, No.1, 2011

• Richard Lennane, Verification for the BTWC: if not the protocol, then what? , Disarmament Forum, No.1, 2011

• Masood Khan, Georgi Avramchev, Marius Grinius and Pedro Oyarce, The 2007–2010 Intersessional process and the future of the BTWC , Disarmament Forum, No.1, 2011

• Jez Littlewood, The verification debate in the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention , Disarmament Forum, No. 3, 2010

University of Bradford Review Conference Papers: Strengthening the BWC

• Graham Pearson and Nicholas Sims, Review Conference Paper No. 21: Preparing for the BTWC Seventh Review Conference in 2011 , May 2010

• Nicholas Sims, Review Conference Paper No. 22: An Annual Meeting for the BTWC , June 2010

• Nicholas Sims, Review Conference Paper No. 23: An Accountability Framework for the BTWC ,

June 2010

• Filippa Lentzos, Review Conference Paper No. 24: Improving the BTWC Confidence-Building Measures Regime , October 2010

• Graham Pearson and Nicholas Sims, Review Conference Paper No. 25: Achieving Consensus at the BTWC Seventh Review Conference , November 2010

• Simon Whitby and Malcolm Dando, Review Conference Paper No. 26: Effective Implementation of the BTWC: The Key Role of Awareness Raising and Education , November 2010

• Malcolm Dando and Graham Pearson, Review Conference Paper No. 27: The Provision of Scientific and Technological Advice to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention , February 2011

• Graham Pearson, Review Conference Paper No. 28: Promoting International Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Biological Activities , March 2011

• Graham Pearson and Nicholas Sims, Review Conference Paper No. 29: A 2020 Vision for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention , March 2011

• Graham Pearson and Nicholas Sims, Review Conference Paper No. 30: Achieving Realistic Ambitions for Decisions at the BTWC Seventh Review Conference , April 2011

Harvard Sussex Program: Reports from Geneva

• Graham Pearson, Report from Geneva No. 32. The Biological Weapons Convention Meeting of Experts August 2010 , October 2010

• Graham Pearson, Special Report from Beijing, Preparing for the Seventh Review Conference , December 2010.

• Graham Pearson, Report from Geneva No. 33: The Biological Weapons Convention Meeting of States Parties , January 2011.

• Graham Pearson, Special Report from Montreux, Developing Practical Proposals for the BWC Seventh Review Conference in 2011 , May 2011

• Graham Pearson in association with Nicholas Sims, Report from Geneva No. 34: The Preparatory Committee for the Seventh BWC Review Conference , May 2011

• Jonathan Tucker, Strengthening Consultative Mechanisms Under Article V to Address BWC Compliance Concerns , Harvard Sussex Program Occasional Paper Issue 1, May 2011

University of Bradford Briefing Book - Key Points for the Seventh Review Conference

• Ambassador Paul van den IJssel, Foreword

• Graham S. Pearson, Nicholas A. Sims & Malcolm R. Dando, Achieving Realistic Ambitions for the Review Conference

• Kathryn Nixdorff & Malcolm R. Dando, Article I: Scope

• Graham S. Pearson, Article II: Destruction of Agents and Weapons

• Graham S. Pearson, Article III: Non-transfer

• Nicholas A. Sims & Graham S. Pearson, Article IV: National Implementation: Legislative and Regulatory Aspects

• Simon Whitby, Cathy Bollaert & Malcolm R. Dando, Article IV: National Implementation: Education, Outreach, and Codes of Conduct

• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims, Article V: Consultation and Cooperation

• Filippa Lentzos, Article V: Confidence Building Measures    

• Graham S. Pearson, Article VI: Lodging of Complaints with and Their Investigation by the Security Council  

• Graham S. Pearson, Article VII: Assistance to States Parties

• Nicholas A. Sims, Graham S. Pearson & Angela Woodward Article VIII: Geneva Protocol Obligations and the BTWC

• Graham S. Pearson, Article IX: Prohibition of Chemical Weapons  

• Graham S. Pearson, Article X: Iinternational Cooperation and Assitance
• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims, Article XI: Ammendments to the Convention

• Nicholas A. Sims & Graham S. Pearson, Article XII: Review Conferences

• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims, Article XIII: Duration and Withdrawal

• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims, Article XIV: Universal Adherence to the Convention

• Graham S. Pearson, Article XV: Languages and Deposits of the Convention

• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims, Agenda Item 10c: Preambular Paragraphs and Purposes of the Convention

• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims, Agenda Item 11: Conisderation of Issues Identified in the Review of the Operation of the Convention as Provided for in its Article XII and Any Possible Consensus Follow-Up Action

• Graham S. Pearson & Nicholas A. Sims,     Agenda Item 12: Follow-up to the Recommendations and Decisions of the Sixth Review Conference and the Questions of Future Review of the Convention
• Appendix I

The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

• Appendix II

Part II: Final Declaration and

Part III: Decisions and Recommendations of the Final Document of the Sixth Review Conference, 2006 Final Document BWC/CONF.VI/6