Consider first the weapons of war and their respective carbon footprint. The mass destruction achieved by modern weaponry greatly exceeds the carbon footprint created from simply the weapons production. Weapons are created with the intent of eventually destroying something before the ordnance or arms themselves are partially or fully destroyed.
Hence the need to consider the full product life cycle, from development to destruction, INCLUDING the final target that is destroyed, to accurately pinpoint the actual size of the carbon footprint for any armament. Industry is presently accountable for the carbon footprint left behind from its arms development and production. Weapon end-users generate an enormous supplemental carbon footprint in realizing the destructive potential of any such weaponry.
The challenge to rejigging this carbon footprint discrepancy lies in how to measure the total carbon footprint of war followed by the development of a sound policy platform and eventually, a workable multi-stakeholder solution. It could include a carbon tax or credit (choose the term that least offends you) on the full life cycle of the ‘product’ built into the price tag followed by an incentive program likened to a weapons-equivalent of a bottle depot recycling program. Although an oversimplification, what you are doing with the carbon tax or credit is front-ending the cost for weaponry usage, subject to a partial refund for weaponry non-usage and proper recycling.
Some of the profits from a ‘weapon recycling depot’ could then be reinvested into performance-driven poverty reduction programs both at home or in developing countries. All of the above may even prove advantageous for some political parties or companies that can show leadership in addressing such questions. The arms production and government together financing economic development through such programs – how sweet is that!
If you choose to make weapons, that is only part of the carbon footprint equation. Who is accountable for the latter portion of that carbon mega-footprint? It’s good for world peace to incentivize proper recycling of weapons.
Hey, if we can figure out the carbon footprint of planes and bottles and how to properly recycle them, why not one for the weapons of war? Got any other suggestions? Drop me a line and better yet, write to your politicians.
