This statement urges government leaders worldwide to start negotiations on an international treaty on autonomous weapons systems. It emphasises the urgent need for human control in the use of force and calls for a ban on the development of machines that can autonomously target and attack people.
Triodos has repeatedly stated its position on the financing of weapons and excludes all types of weapons from its investment portfolio, strictly adhering to ethical and human rights standards throughout its decision-making processes. Triodos has also expressed its opposition to lethal autonomous weapons in its position paper on ethical AI, further clarifying its principles and commitment to responsible investment.
The statement calls for a binding international treaty to regulate autonomous weapons systems, similar to the existing treaty on nuclear weapons. Although the United Nations has repeatedly expressed the need for such a treaty, concrete progress has yet to be made. In the meantime, autonomous weapons are actively being deployed in ongoing international conflicts, underlining the urgent need for coordinated global action.
A treaty on autonomous weapons is crucial for investors as it would establish clear global standards, enhance transparency and support robust due diligence. Without such a treaty, responsible investors face significant challenges in ensuring their portfolios do not inadvertently support companies involved in developing autonomous weapons. The line between civilian and military technologies is increasingly blurred, as artificial intelligence, robotics and hardware components are used both in commercial products and in autonomous weapons systems. This makes due diligence and screening processes more complex and exposes investors to the risks of complicity.
Autonomous weapons systems: ethical, legal and humanitarian concerns
Autonomous weapons systems – often referred to as killer robots” – are weapon systems that, once activated, can select and engage targets without further human intervention. While automation and AI can improve safety and efficiency in many areas, their application in weapon systems raises profound ethical, legal and humanitarian concerns. These include the risk of removing meaningful human control from life-and-death decisions, the risk of algorithmic bias or error, and the threat of mass surveillance or indiscriminate violence. There is growing global consensus that machines should not be empowered to decide over human life and death, as this would undermine fundamental principles of human dignity and international humanitarian law.
Risks associated with autonomous weapons include a lack of accountability for wrongful deaths, the potential escalation of conflicts and the risk that such technologies lower the threshold for the use of force due to moral outsourcing. Together, these factors further threaten human rights and fuel global instability.
What the Statement calls for
The investor statement, launched by the Stop Killer Robots Campaign and Etica Funds, calls on governments to:
- Launch negotiations for a legally binding international treaty on autonomous weapons systems.
- Ensure meaningful human control in all decisions to use force.
- Prohibit the development and deployment of machines that can independently target and attack people, thereby reducing them to objects, stereotypes, or data points.
Why Triodos Investment Management supports this statement
Triodos Investment Management and Triodos Bank are proud to add their voices to this important global initiative, for several reasons:
- Call for human control and accountability: we believe that human oversight is essential in any decision to use force. The rapid development of autonomous weapons technology is outpacing regulatory frameworks, and a clear international treaty is needed to safeguard human rights and ethical standards.
- Alignment with our Minimum Standards: The statement reflects and reinforces our existing Minimum Standards on weapons and human rights. We do not invest in companies involved in the development, manufacture or sale of weapons, and we remain vigilant about technological developments with the potential for misuse.
- Advocacy for global norms: We support the call for governments to act now, launching negotiations for an international treaty, and for investors to ensure they are not complicit in the advancement of autonomous weapons technology.
Call to action
Triodos will continue to engage with its investee companies to ensure that emerging technologies are developed and deployed in ways that respect human dignity and support the common good. The pace of technological advancement demands swift, coordinated action to establish clear international safeguards for human rights and ethical principles.
We urge other investors to support this statement and to advocate for robust international regulation on autonomous weapons systems. By lending their voice and influence, investors can help drive positive change, promote ethical standards and ensure that technological advancements do not threaten human rights but supports responsible innovation.