Issues: Climate change and energy

Climate change and energy

SGR produces a range of outputs on the issue of 'Climate change and energy'. This covers climate change science, technological and policy responses to climate change, energy supply technologies (especially renewable energy and nuclear power), energy use and energy efficiency (including in transport and buildings), and related policy and lifestyle issues.

Panel of speakers on stage at UCL event

Are international climate negotiations fit for purpose?

Andrew Simms, SGR, was one of the speakers in a university-hosted panel discussion around the importance (or not) of international climate negotiations in the past, present and future. Available on YouTube.

17 April 2025

Photo of a whale's tail with backdrop of mountains

Whales and international climate change law

Michaela Girvan proposes new ways to protect cetaceans under international environmental law due to their role in helping to tackle climate change.

24 March 2025

Gianluca Grimalda travelling by cargo ship

An act of conscientious objection for the climate

Dr Gianluca Grimalda reflects on his legal victory, achieved following the termination of his academic contract when he refused to fly.

6 March 2025

Football report cover

How big is the carbon footprint of football?

Dr Stuart Parkinson and Andrew Simms summarise SGR’s new research on the greenhouse gas emissions of the global football sector, and explore whether reducing the carbon footprint of football can help accelerate wider climate action.

3 February 2025

Electricity pylons image by Tom via Pixabay

The Energy Dilemma: will even greater consumption lead to more problems?

Prof Gareth Wyn Jones, Bangor University, draws on evidence from physics and biology to economics and political science to explore the effects of greater energy consumption on social and environmental goals. 

5 December 2024
 

Nuclear hazard symbol

Civil and military nuclear programmes: will they be derailed by skills shortages?

Alasdair Beal takes a look at the UK nuclear industry – and finds that the proposed expansion has a workforce problem.

4 December 2024


 

Planet Earth

Tackling global risks in the second Trump era

The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency undermines efforts to tackle urgent global risks such as climate change and the threat of nuclear war. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, gives an overview of the problems and assesses how best to respond.

14 November 2024

Picture of oily hands holding a miniature football pitch

Oil and gas ‘sportswashing’ now a 5.6 billion dollar industry

A new report uncovers the extent to which fossil fuel corporations use the popularity of sport to promote their ‘brand’, and divert attention away from their highly polluting activities.

27 September 2024

Laser pistol

Future War: Will it really be clean and green?

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, summarises the flaws in recent military claims that new arms technologies will markedly reduce civilian casualties or environmental impacts.

10 September 2024

nuclear-hazard-symbol

Nuclear power risks rising in Russia-Ukraine war

Dr Philip Webber, SGR, warns that another nuclear power plant is at major risk as the war enters new territory - and this plant includes Chernobyl-type reactors.

22 August 2024