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Climate Change and Energy

SGR is deeply concerned about the likely major impacts of human-induced climate change. We are also concerned about the problems associated with nuclear power.

Below is a summary of many of SGR's outputs on climate change and energy issues, including briefings, articles, position statements and details of the SGR project ‘The Climate Train to Kyoto’.

2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

2008

newsClimate change – why it could be worse than the IPCC projections
Notes for a presentation given by Dr Stuart Parkinson at the Climate Forum, London (June)

newsCould one Trident submarine cause 'nuclear winter'?
Philip Webber analyses the latest research on the potential climatic impacts of nuclear war and demonstrates that the firepower of just one of the UK's Trident submarines could be devastating for the whole planet.

2007

Nuclear power: the security dimension - lecture given by Dr Stuart Parkinson in Kendal, Cumbria (October)

Statement on UK Renewable Energy Targets - SGR condemns the government decision to abandon its target of 20% of UK electricity generated from renewable energy sources by 2020 (October)

The Future of Nuclear Power - consultation document SGR response to the UK government's consultation document (9th October)

'Nuclear power: yes or no?' Powerpoint presentation and notes from a lecture given by Dr Stuart Parkinson as part of a debate held at Manchester University (19th September)

Climate science for beginners - web version of Notes to a Presentation given at the Camp for Climate Action by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR (15th August)

SGR has called for stronger CO2 emissions targets in its response to the consultation on the UK government's Draft Climate Change Bill (11th June)

Guns and Global Warming: War, Peace and the Environment Web version of a presentation given by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at the Network for Peace AGM, London (10 February)

2006

Keeping nuclear weapons or tackling climate change? - Web version of a Presentation to a parliamentary seminar. The presentation uses government and industry data to carry out a new analysis of the degree to which Trident replacement could undermine action on climate change. It concludes there is significant threat - due to competition for both funding and skills. (December)

Web version of a Submission to a recent Defence Select Committee inquiry which examines the effect that opting for replacement of the UK's nuclear weapons could have on the national skills base. It concludes that such a path could have a significant and detrimental impact on the supply of science and technology staff to the civilian sector. In particular, it expresses concern that this problem could seriously undermine the UK's attempts to play its role in tackling global issues such as climate change and energy insecurity. (November)

Letter to John Sauven, Greenpeace, re Legal Action over the UK Energy Review 2006 (October)

Consultation on the Policy Framework for New Nuclear Build - Response by Scientists for Global Responsibility (October)

Dr Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director of SGR, ran two workshops at the Camp for Climate Action in late August/early September. Click on the links below to see his Notes for the workshops:

Divert military finance to fund Lord Rees' new energy research initiative - SGR press release (August)

Not enough skilled workers to build new UK nuclear power stations? - Comment article by Dr Stuart Parkinson about the lack of new workers entering the nuclear industry (July)

Our Energy Challenge : DTI Consultation 2006 - Response by Scientists for Global Responsibility (April)

Letter To Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, MP, regarding opposition to a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK - open letter to the Prime Minister coordinated by SGR, signed by Dr. Stuart Parkinson (SGR Executive Director) and 40 energy and climate experts (10th April 2006). See also Leading scientists attack Blair over nuclear power, an article covering this letter in the Sunday Herald (April)

Leading scientists attack Blair over nuclear power - Article in the Sunday Herald covering our letter to the Prime Minister (see above) opposing a new generation of nuclear power stations (April)

How to save the world (March)
Article about climate change based on an interview with Dr Stuart Parkinson, in HERO magazine for London students.

2005

Open Letter to Rt Hon Tony Blair (November)
organised by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

Letter to Margaret Beckett, Environment Minister, (October)
arguing for the UK to take a strong position at the upcoming climate negotiations in Montreal.

“Climate change, the Kyoto Protocol and civil engineering” - (May)
Lecture by Dr Stuart Parkinson at the Institution of Civil Engineers, London

Public Inquiry on Whinash wind farm - (April)
Web version of Written Evidence in support of the application by Dr Stuart Parkinson

Letter to Margaret Beckett, Environment Minister - (March)
from Martin Quick (AESR) and Stuart Parkinson (SGR) re Consultation on the Review of the UK Climate Change Programme

Consultation on the Review of the UK Climate Change Programme - (March)
Response by AESR and SGR

Energy, CO2 stabilisation and economic growth - (February)
Peter Smith looks at the scale of changes that are needed in energy production to tackle climate change (from SGR/AESR Newsletter, PDF file, 320 KB)

2004

SGR comments on proposals for new UK sustainable development strategy - (July)
In these Responses to the Government’s consultation on its Sustainable Development Strategy we argue, inter alia, that ‘[T]hose respondents who argue for the continued prioritisation of economic objectives do not appreciate the severe damage being caused to the global environment nor the high levels of global inequity’.

2003

Your Career and Sustainable Development [PDF file, 173KB] (December)
SGR briefing by Dr Phil Webber as part of the 'Thinking About an Ethical Career in Science and Technology' series.

Stormy Times for Climate Research (November)
Clare Goodess explains the circumstances behind the resignation of half of the editorial board of the journal Climate Research (from SGR Newsletter 28, PDF file, 533 KB)

Tackling Climate Change - the Role of the Engineer (September)
Edited version of a paper given by Dr Stuart Parkinson at UK Women's Engineering Society annual conference, 'Proper Practice: Professionalism and Ethics in Engineering and Science'

Energy Briefing Paper by Architects and Engineers for Social Responsibility [PDF file, 851KB] (September)
Our present production and consumption of energy is unsustainable. Although the Government Energy White Paper sets out quite challenging aspirations for reducing greenhouse gases, it is woefully complacent on issues of the energy security and its geo-political implications. This briefing looks at some of these issues in more depth.

Does anybody remember the Nuclear Winter? (July)
Stuart Parkinson looks into why the climatic disaster which would follow a potential nuclear war has been forgotten (from SGR Newsletter 27, PDF file, 324 KB)

Personal Transport Briefing Paper by Architects and Engineers for Social Responsibility [PDF file, 1.74MB] (April)
This paper attempts to show how significant traffic reduction is possible in the short-medium term and how the long-term elimination of car dependency for much of the urban population is a realistic proposition.

Career Choice and Climate Change [PDF file, 103KB] (March)
SGR briefing by Dr Stuart Parkinson as part of the 'Thinking About an Ethical Career in Science and Technology' series.

Cleaner Technologies: A Positive Choice [PDF file, 192KB] (March)
SGR briefing by Dr Tim Foxon as part of the 'Thinking About an Ethical Career in Science and Technology' series.

2002

SGR Response to Government's Energy Policy Review [PDF file, 73KB] (September)

Myth of Chernobyl Suffering Exposed? (March)
Article by Dr Phil Webber from SGR newsletter 24 [PDF file, 322KB]

2001

Could Terrorists Turn the UK into a Nuclear Wasteland? (November)
SGR statement on the terrorist threat to nuclear facilities issued in the wake of the September 11th attacks

So What Did Happen at the Climate Negotiations? (February)
Article by Dr Stuart Parkinson from SGR Newsletter NL22 [PDF file, 203KB]

2000

SGR Position statement on Kyoto Mechanisms (October)
This was accompanied by a press release

SGR Newsletter NL20: Special Issue on Climate Change [PDF File, 232KB] (Spring)

Clean Development Mechanism - Opportunity or Loophole? (Spring)
Article by Dr Stuart Parkinson from SGR newsletter 20 (see above)

1999

SGR Newsletter NL19: Special Issue on Nuclear Issues [PDF file, 226KB] (Summer)

SGR Reply to Government consultation on UK Climate Change Strategy (February)

1998

The Kyoto Protocol - What the world agreed to do about climate change (at least for now!) (March)
Article by Dr Stuart Parkinson from SGR Newsletter NL17

1997

SGR Position statement on Climate Change (November)

The Climate Train to Kyoto (1997-1998)
SGR's main activity during this period was to co-ordinate the group of scientists and activists who travelled over land and sea from Europe to the UN Climate Convention negotiations in Kyoto during November/December 1997. Afterwards, a report was produced on the journey and the issues surrounding it. The project spawned a web-page 'Flying off to a Warmer Climate' which analyses the impact of flying on climate and allows readers to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions per passenger for any flight.

1996

Climate Engineering: A critical review of proposals, their scientific and political context, and possible impacts (November)
This paper by Ben Matthews discusses large-scale "technical fixes" proposed for offsetting global warming, such as fertilisation of ocean algae, reflection of sunlight with stratospheric dust, or pumping liquid CO2 into the deep oceans. The paper considers the possible impact both on climatic feedback processes, and also on climate science and climate politics. It concludes by asking whether it is wise to continue such research.

Climate Change: The Inter/Intra-National Politics of Contraction and Convergence (November)
SGR Conference presentation by Aubrey Meyer, Global Commons Institute
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