Arms to Renewables: Work for the Future

A move from militarism and the arms trade towards tackling climate change would create more jobs and increase human security…

CAAT’s research shows that a move towards offshore wind and marine energy could produce more jobs than the entire arms industry.

These jobs would provide alternative employment for arms trade workers. Like arms, the renewable energy sector is highly skilled. It has a similar breakdown across broad categories of skill levels and employ many of the same branches of engineering. There would also be tens of thousands of supply chain jobs that could be located anywhere in the country.

These would be better jobs for the workers and for all of us: jobs in an industry which is growing not declining, which create a safer, rather than a more dangerous world.

If we invest now the UK would be in a leading position in technologies that will be in high demand, will have major export potential, and will also help other countries cut their carbon emissions.

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Rethinking security

Sustainable security puts human beings at its heart, sees people in all parts of the world as interdependent, and looks for long-term, sustainable solutions - especially thinking about the climate crisis.


Jobs and the economy

The UK government justifies its support for the arms trade by arguing that it needs to protect jobs. In reality the economic importance of the industry is often overstated, and reallocating these resources could create more and better jobs and contribute to a safer world.  

CAAT would not exist without its supporters. Each new supporter helps us strengthen our call for an end to the international arms trade.

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