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.

Wind turbines and solar panels into nuclear weapons: the UK's new industrial strategy?

UK government financial support is being cut from green industries, while there is no similar austerity for the military industrial sector. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, examines what is happening.

Article in The Ecologist, 15 October 2015
 

 

Rudd’s 'magic money tree' risks undermining investments in a low carbon economy

Dr Bridget Woodman, Exeter University, assesses the very disturbing developments in UK energy policy over the past few months.

ResponsibleSci blog, 13 October 2015

 

SGR challenges government over military R&D and nuclear weapons

Scientists for Global Responsibility has submitted a response to the UK government consultation on the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review. In it, we argue that the UK needs to place a much greater focus on the use of scientific and technical resources for tackling the roots of conflict rather than prioritising the development of yet more weapons technologies. We especially criticise plans for a new UK nuclear weapons system.

24 September 2015

 

Intervening in the 'rise' of the lethal autonomous weapon

Researchers in AI and robotics have called for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons, loosely termed 'killer robots'. Prof Lucy Suchman, Lancaster University, explains why she added her name to the call.

17 September 2015

New report highlights the dangers of UK nuclear weapons

Media release, 6 August 2015
 

Trident missile launch

UK nuclear weapons: a catastrophe in the making?

This report highlights the latest scientific and technical information about the risks posed by the continued deployment of Britain's submarine-based Trident nuclear weapons system.

SGR report by Dr Philip Webber and Dr Stuart Parkinson.; 6 August 2015

UK arms industry: ethical concerns and alternatives (July 2015)

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, critically examines the UK arms industry, starting with ethical issues such as nuclear weapons, the international arms trade and influence over UK security policy. He then considers the potential for alternatives - including less aggressive approaches to international security and expansion of civilian employment, including low carbon technologies.

Presentation at the 37th NJPN conference, Derbyshire, UK; 18 July 2015
 

Making the case for effective climate policy

There is a gulf between the scientific reality of climate change and the political response to it. Tom Pashby, Fleming Policy Centre, outlines a proposal that could bridge that gap.

ResponsibleSci blog, 8 July 2015

 

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