Winter 2018

Feature articles cover: nuclear weapons - current threats and opportunities; melting of Arctic ice cap; cars and climate change; air pollution; protecting the oceans; Brexit and universities; EU military R&D; nuclear weapons accidents in UK; radical science in 1980s

Feature articles

• Nuclear weapons: breakthrough or breaking point?
  Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, looks at the current crisis over North Korea’s weapons programme and contrasts it with the new UN treaty banning nuclear weapons.
   
• State of the Arctic heightens focus on climate policy
  The deterioration of the Arctic ice cap and its climate has continued apace. Vanessa Spedding provides an update on recent developments.
   
• EU moves into military science and technology
  Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, outlines plans for a huge increase in funding from the European Union for military R&D. 
   
• Cars and climate change: decarbonising passenger road transport
  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.
   
• Will Brexit drive UK academia over a cliff edge?
  Dr Keith Baker, Glasgow Caledonian University, looks at the prospects for British universities as the end of UK membership of the European Union approaches.
   
• The history of accidents in the UK’s nuclear weapons programme
  David Cullen and Peter Burt, Nuclear Information Service, outline the findings of a new report that reveals the frightening scale of mishaps and near-misses within Britain’s military nuclear complex.
   
• Air pollution: one of the greatest health challenges of our time
  May van Schalkwyk and Emer O’Connell outline the neglected impacts of air pollution, and the key steps needed to tackle it.
   
• Being a radical scientist: lessons from the 1980s
  SGR patron Prof Keith Barnham reflects on his work with Scientists Against Nuclear Arms investigating the military diversion of civilian nuclear materials – and considers the relevance for academics and activists today.
   
• Improving protection of the oceans
  2017 was a year of significant progress on measures to protect the world’s oceans. Dr Stuart Parkinson and Dr Louisa Reynolds explain. 
   

SGR News

• A few words from the Director
• SGR celebrates 25th anniversary
• Science4Society Week 2018
• Making the case for a more ethical industrial strategy
• Peaceworker
• Obituary: Prof Stephen Moorbath FRS
• Updates on SGR activities on nuclear disarmament, climate change etc

Reviews

• SGR conference 2017: Creating a better world: some lessons for the next 25 years
• Conference: Health through peace
• Lecture: The business plan for peace
• Book: The switch
• Report: This moment: the emergency, the opportunity
   

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