You said “CBRNe?”

What exactly are we talking about?

Of course, everyone is familiar with the acronym CBRNe, or NRBCe in French, which stands for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive hazards. But would you recognize this acronym in other languages? Along the same lines, we will also explore other acronyms related to the CBRNe domain.

Le NRBC dans les langues les plus couramment utilisée :

• English: CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive).
• French: NRBC (Nucléaire, Radiologique, Biologique, Chimique et Explosif)
• Spanish: QBRN signifie Químico, Biológico, Radiológico y Nuclear. Mais on trouve aussi NRBQe (Nuclear, Radiológico, Biológico, Químico y Explosivo)
• German : ABC-Schutz (Atom, Biologie, Chemie). Atomiques, biologiques et chimiques.
• Italian : NBC (Nucleare, Biologico, Chimico) ou  NBCe : pour inclure les explosifs (Esplosivi) et  NBCI : pour inclure les risques industriels (Industriali).
• Portuguese: NBQR Nuclear, Biológico, Químico e Radiológico ou NBQRE (+ Explosivos) ou NBQRI (Industriais)
• Russian: РХБЯ est la forme la plus courante et fait référence aux risques radiologiques, chimiques et biologiques, РХБЯЯ inclut également les risques liés aux explosifs, РХБИЯ inclut les risques industriels.
• Chinese: 化生放核 (Huà shēng fàng hé) ou plutôt 化学、生物、放射性和核 (chimie, biologie, radioactif, nucléaire
• Arabic: كيميائية بيولوجية إشعاعية نووية (Kimya’iyyat, Biyūlūjiyyat, Ish’ā‘iyyat, Nawawiyyat)

Even though the Russian, Chinese, and Arabic versions are less common in our environment, all these acronyms refer to the same concept CBRNe: threats related to Nuclear, Radiological, Biological, Chemical, and Explosive hazards.

Acronyms related to CBRNe

The attached table lists the most common acronyms, while the notes provide additional necessary details.Le tableau ci-joint donne les acronymes les plus courants, les reports donnent quelques compléments indispensables

1 – Biological Warfare: The deliberate use of pathogenic biological agents, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their toxins, to kill or neutralize humans, animals, or plants in the context of warfare.

2 – The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, aims to prohibit not only the use but also the manufacture and stockpiling of biological weapons. As of March 25, 2022, out of a possible 197 states, 185 UN member states have ratified the Convention. However, no verification measures have been established to ensure compliance with its provisions.

3 – In the United States, the CDC is the primary federal agency for public health protection, located near Atlanta. For example, they closely monitor outbreaks to determine any suspicious origins. In France, the main health authorities include Public Health France (SPF), the Pasteur Institute, and Regional Health Agencies (ARS), all under the authority of the Ministry of Solidarity and Health.

4 – The WHO, or World Health Organization, is a specialized agency of the United Nations, plays a significant role in global health, with the main objective of achieving the highest possible health standards for all people. The WHO is crucial in monitoring emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and coordinating the international response to health crises. It also works to improve access to healthcare for the most disadvantaged populations, particularly in developing countries.

5- Bioterrorism (BT) refers to the use of biological weapons for terrorist purposes.est l’utilisation d’armes biologiques à des fins terroristes.

6- Chemical Weapons Convention, more specifically, the CWC is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.

The Convention was signed on January 13, 1993, in Paris and entered into force on April 29, 1997.

As of 2023, the CWC has 193 member states out of 197.

Unlike the BWC, there is a verification body: the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

7 – Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) based in The Hague, aims to eliminate all chemical weapons worldwide. To verify the accuracy of member states’ declarations regarding their facilities, the OPCW is authorized to send inspectors to these locations. It can also confirm the destruction of chemical weapons.

8- Toxic Industrial Chemicals TICs could be used as chemicl warfare agents. NATO has identified twenty-one chemicals that can be intentionally used as chemical weapons (e.g., chlorine (Cl₂) and hydrofluoric acid (HF)).

9 – Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Concluded in 1968, entered into force in 1970 and aims to reduce the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation worldwide. By early 2020, 191 states had adopted this treaty. Its implementation is guaranteed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

10 – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This international organization, under the aegis of the UN, ensures the safe and peaceful use of nuclear technologies and sciences. As of early 2020, 171 of the 193 UN member states were members of the IAEA, although some have yet to ratify. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the IAEA’s role in monitoring nuclear power plants threatened by combat.

11 – Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibits any type of nuclear testing, regardless of the energy released. Each state party commits not to carry out any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion in any environment. Open for signature in 1996, France signed it in 1996 and ratified it in 1998. However, several major nuclear-armed countries have not ratified it, so the treaty is not yet in force.

12 – Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are difficult to define, but generally, they are weapons capable of killing large numbers of people, particularly non-conventional weapons such as those in the NRBCe category.

13 – North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). NATO’s goal is to ensure the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. Politically, it promotes democratic values and allows its members to consult and cooperate on defense and security issues.

Militarily, NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power necessary to undertake crisis management operations, carried out under the collective defense clause of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

“The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.“

Currently, NATO comprises 32 member countries.

14 – A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) protects individuals against specific risks, depending on the activities they will undertake. Generally, the entire body can and should be protected. PPE can include professional clothing, but in the CBRN context, it must protect individuals from toxic chemicals or biological agents.

Discover the different Ouvry® PPE.

Conclusion

There are many acronyms in the CBRNe field. This inventory is just the beginning; individuals can deepen their knowledge of various terms by reading relevant articles.