Winter 2010
Feature articles cover: arms conversion; international and UK climate change policy; climate science debate; global nuclear disarmament; militarisation of space; sustainability and population; corporate influence on science; ethics and universities; animal farming and sustainability
Feature articles
- Arms conversion for a low carbon economy
Prof David Webb argues that a major industrial shift away from military technology should be a key component in building the low carbon economy. - From Copenhagen to where?
Dr Stuart Parkinson assesses the outcome of the Copenhagen climate negotiations, and asks whether meaningful global action will follow. - The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan: does it go far enough?
Dr Tim Foxon argues that, although the government’s latest plans for a low carbon economy are an important step forward, they are hampered by an ideological belief in market solutions. - A charter for one million new climate jobs
Dr Gareth Dale outlines proposals for a major increase in employment in the UK climate sector. - Nuclear disarmament slowly gathers pace
Dr Stuart Parkinson critically examines progress on global nuclear disarmament over the past year. - Making space for peace - preventing Missile Defence expanding warfare
Philip Chapman argues that international law on the military use of space still needs urgent attention, despite recent announcements from the Obama administration. - The artist and technologist in the aftermath of Chernobyl
Poet, essayist and scientist Dr Mario Petrucci brings an artist’s perspective to the challenge of understanding the shadow side of our post-enlightenment, industrial culture, using the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl as a point of focus. - Assessing sustainable population levels
Andrew Ferguson uses ecological footprinting and carbon budgets to estimate sustainable population levels for the UK and elsewhere and comes to some disturbing conclusions. - Stop selling out science to commerce
Dr Stuart Parkinson and Dr Chris Langley summarise SGR’s latest report, Science and the corporate agenda. - Open ethics – A call for university commitment to ethical partnerships
A staff group at the Open University are proposing an ethical strategy for the development of external partnerships, which would include a severing of the institution’s links with the arms industry. - Universities: from knowledge to wisdom
Dr Nicholas Maxwell argues that the growth in academic work devoted to policy issues could mark the beginning of a shift from ‘knowledge-inquiry’ to ‘wisdom-inquiry’, leading to importance benefits for society. - Does animal farming undermine our global social and environmental goals?
Dr Amanda Baker argues that we need a genuine re-evaluation of agriculture if we're to solve the looming global food crisis.
News from SGR
- A few words from the Director - Dr Stuart Parkinson on climate scepticism and public interest science
- Updates on SGR activities covering issues such as climate change and energy, ethical careers, and security and disarmament
- Launch of new report on corporate science and technology
- Incoming National Co-ordinating Committee; Staff changes; SGR sponsors; Obituaries
Book reviews and Event reviews
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