Issues

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.

Flights from Sense: How Space Tourism Will Alter the Climate

In the wake of the Virgin Galactic crash, Philip Chapman investigates the potential environmental impacts should space tourism recover from its recent setbacks and become a thriving global industry.

27 June 2015

 

UK scientists recommend actions to address the climate crisis

Ahead of the critical Paris climate summit in December and the upcoming climate lobby of the UK parliament on 17 June, SGR asked a number of energy and climate scientists at UK universities to provide roughly 50 words on what policies they would like the government to put in place. Their responses are as follows.

ResponsibleSci blog, 12 June 2015
 

From Corporate Science to Science for Society

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at a TEDx event organised by Lancaster University

Online release: 8 June 2015
 

UK energy R&D – time for a rethink?

With a new government in power and a new international call for action on energy research from the Global Apollo Programme, Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assesses whether the U's energy R&D is heading in the right direction. One question, in particular, is whether nuclear R&D or renewables R&D should be prioritised.

ResponsibleSci blog, 3 June 2015
 

 

Why now is the right time to abolish the UK's nuclear weapons

Politicians are debating updating the UK's ageing Trident weapons system, but security and money pressures make renewal wrong, says Dr Philip Webber, SGR

Article in New Scientist, 28 May 2015
 

Shale gas and fracking: Introducing the key issues

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, to local councillors in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK

Published online: 20 April 2015.

 

Military-university collaborations in the UK – an update

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, reviews recent developments in military involvement at UK universities.

Article for INES report (advance publication), 13 April 2015
 

Too Close for Comfort: Cases of Near Nuclear Use and Options for Policy

Sasan Aghlani, Chatham House, outlines just how close the world has come to the inadvertent use of nuclear weapons in the last 60 years – and suggests some immediate measures to reduce the risks.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.43; online publication: 3 April 2015
 

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Students get inspired by ethical science and technology

Dr Jan Maskell, SGR, summarises the activities of our first Science4Society Week, including school visits to community renewable energy projects and classroom debates.

ResponsibleSci blog, 27 March 2015

SGR supports open letter on US museums and the fossil fuel industry

Media release, 24 March 2015