Climate change and energy

SGR produces a range of outputs on the issue of 'Climate change and energy'. This covers climate change science, technological and policy responses to climate change, energy supply technologies (especially renewable energy and nuclear power), energy use and energy efficiency (including in transport and buildings), and related policy and lifestyle issues.

As the UK government chooses World Environment Day to announce plans for a third, polluting runway at Heathrow Airport, and new reports point to air quality worsening internationally, May van Schalkwyk and Emer O'Connell look at the global public health crisis of air pollution, and the key steps needed to tackle it.

5 June 2018

In the first of two articles marking the centenary of former Astronomer Royal, Martin Ryle (1918–1984), Dr Alan Cottey describes how, early on, he saw the flaws in nuclear and fossil fuel energy and how renewables were the answer.

8 May 2018

North Sea oil began flowing into the UK economy in 1975 and production peaked in 1999. Ever since, the industry has faced inevitable decline. Now, writes Andrew Simms, a new report reveals how decommissioning its infrastructure is raising questions of cost, contradictions in climate and energy policy, and the prospect of a huge bill being passed on to the next generation.

30 April 2018

Dr Rachel Freeman, University of Manchester, looks at why reducing carbon emissions in the UK transport sector is only happening very slowly, and how it can be sped up.

22 March 2018

The deterioration of the Arctic ice cap and its climate has continued apace. Vanessa Spedding provides an update on recent developments.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.46; advance online publication: 2 November 2017

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at CND conference.

Published online: 16 October 2017

With 'New Scientist Live' being sponsored this year by Shell and BAE Systems, SGR has joined other campaign organisations in calling for them not to take sponsorship from the arms and fossil fuel industries in future.

Joint statement, 25 September 2017

Open letter sent to the eight political party leaders at the UK parliament

13 June 2017

Will the next UK government increase spending on military R&D at the expense of renewable energy R&D? Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, investigates.

ResponsibleSci blog, 5 June 2017

Prof Keith Barnham, Imperial College London, outlines plans for an exciting new campaign to encourage continued expansion of electricity from renewable sources in the UK.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.45; online publication: 28 April 2017