International Research Cooperative

From Wise Nano

International Nanotechnology Research Consortium

This is a proposed treaty organization with potential to enhance stability in the transition to an era of molecular manufacturing capabilities. It would likely be established shortly before or after successful implementation of an early nanotech assembler, at the point where the risks of nanotechnology become real enough for nations to seriously seek methods of ameliorating those risks. It follows a principle of "transparency" or "openness".

All treaty member nations agree:

• to only pursue nanotech R&D under treaty-established conditions
  • e.g. safety rules and procedures, reporting requirements
  • in particular, nanoweapon R&D would be expected to conform to treaty requirements
• to immediately share all nanotech-based R&D results with all consortium members
• to enable direct consortium monitoring of key R&D efforts
• to refrain from sharing R&D results with non-members

Penalties for violations of treaty agreements would range from delays in receiving results being shared with all members, on up to eviction from the consortium.

Note that required sharing of R&D results does not imply negation of "intellectual property" rights, any more than patent disclosures do. However, it would imply that IP developers of member nations would not be allowed to retain nanotech-related IP as a trade secret or otherwise avoid disclosure.

Why this might be beneficial

• Member nations benefit directly from shared R&D - reduced costs, wider perspectives, etc.
• Member nations are better assured that no member nation is dramatically ahead or behind them.
• Once the coalition is large enough, member nations should be more advanced than non-members.
• The benefits of membership and potential penalties should reduce the temptation to "cheat".
  • e.g. to pursue secret R&D projects
• Membership growth forms a "virtuous cycle". Even a small number of poor nations in the consortium would have greater R&D resources than some other less poor nations - encouraging those other nations to join and so on - eventually growing to the point of being able to out-compete even the most advanced/richest individual nation.
• Shared knowledge of nanoweapon technologies will encourage development of defenses against such technologies, reducing danger of nanowar.
• Nanoweapon R&D beyond that perceived necessary to out-compete any non-member nations would be discouraged, as providing no significant advantage for the added cost.

Some potential issues

• Multiple, competing consortiums would be dangerous. If the richest, most advanced nation(s) founded the first consortium, it should discourage creation of other consortiums as well as encourage rapid growth of the consortium.
• Will advanced nations perceive sufficent value in such an organization to give up perceived military advantages of keeping R&D results secret?
• Will members truly be deterred from cheating?
• Nations would be required to enforce treaty agreements upon their citizens and businesses.