Issues: Climate change and energy

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

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.

Bristol Peace Lecture, 9 March 2019

Feedbacks and tipping points are being dangerously downplayed in the climate debate, argues Prof Bill McGuire, University College London. As climate protests - including the School Climate Strike - gather momentum, he argues it's time for some healthy and realistic alarmism.

14 February 2019

Ahead of the next global climate talks in Poland, Prof John Whitelegg, Liverpool John Moores University, argues that major reductions in transport pollution are only achievable if we set our sights beyond electric vehicles and driverless cars.

27 November 2018

There is no shortage of evidence that humanity is in a very serious place environmentally. But is there evidence for optimism? Paul Allen, Zero Carbon Britain, says yes.

12 September 2018

Climate change can increase the risk of violent conflict, so why don't we redirect some of the funding for military technologies to help tackle climate insecurity? Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assesses the potential based on the latest international data on military and climate spending.

Article from Laboratory News; republished: 22 June 2018

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