Responsible Science

We currently focus on four main issues: disarmament and security, climate change and energy, questions of who controls science and technology and issues surrounding new and emerging technologies. You will also see that we work on some other issues too. You can explore these with the menu on the left of this page and with the search function. Material in this section includes all SGR's main outputs since 2005, with a selection of the more important material from before then.

The psychology of cutting plastic pollution

Dr Jan Maskell, SGR, examines the potential of behaviour change to help to reduce plastic waste.

2 July 2019

The carbon boot-print of the military

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, summarises the latest data on the large but neglected carbon emissions of military activities, and argues that they need to be rapidly reduced.

29 June 2019

Lethal and autonomous: coming soon to a sky near you

Dr Peter Burt of Drone Wars UK says that, in spite of contrary assurances, the UK is developing the components of autonomous weaponry.

12 June 2019

Prospects of robotic warfare are chilling but recognised

Prof John Finney argues that we must act to prevent the ‘morally repugnant’ prospect of machines with the power and discretion to take human life.

11 June 2019

The threat of nuclear war is all too real

Dr Philip Webber, SGR, summarises the extremely serious dangers of the continued deployment of nuclear weapons around the world, in this article first published on the Metro website.

7 June 2019

The nuclear armed nations have inadvertently created a global Doomsday machine, built with 15,000 nuclear weapons. Most (93%) have been built by Russia and in the US, 3,100 of them are ready to fire within hours.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Rethinking security: a responsible science perspective

Dr Philip Webber, SGR, argues that UK government thinking on security needs to change profoundly, and use more of a science-based approach to tackling global problems.

5 June 2019

Welcome to the new home online for Scientists for Global Responsibility

Welcome to the new online home for Scientists for Global Responsibility, and announcing the 2019 Responsible Science conference asking: should scientists walk the talk on climate breakdown?

28 May 2019

1000 researchers and scientists oppose the European Defence Fund

In advance of a European Parliament vote on the new European Defence Fund - which would allow 13 billion euros to be spent on military research and technology - 1000 researchers have signed a statement opposing the fund.

17 April 2019

The return of British coal?

Just when it looked like UK coal might be phased out, a company in Cumbria is trying to give it a long-term future – undermining urgent efforts to tackle climate disruption. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, argues for a halt to the proposed project.

17 March 2019

Science for a secure and sustainable future

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, examines how society uses and misuses science and technology - and highlights ways in which we can reshape our relationship with these powerful forces to help bring about a more secure and sustainable society.

9 March 2019

Issues