The overall conclusion of this study was that in addition to the severe direct physical effects of a large-scale nuclear war from blast, thermal radiation, and local fallout, "the climatic effects caused by smoke, could be potentially more consequential globally than the direct effects, the risks of unprecedented consequences are great for noncombatant and combatant countries alike." These findings were reviewed and reaffirmed in 1988 ("Global Effects Of Nuclear War" by R.P. Turco and G. Golitsyn in Environment, vol. 30, No. 5, pages 9-16).
Finally, the political issue was resolved in 1988 by the acceptance without dissent by the United Nations of the specially commissioned report Study on the Climatic and Other Global Effects of Nuclear War (U.N. Document A-43/351-ISBN 92-1-142144-6).
Thus, the ideologic debate has been brought to a close, and the scientific work of refining the risk is in order— as well as examination of the policy implications.