Issues: Climate change and energy

Prof Keith Barnham, Imperial College London, suggests renewable energy technologies can play a key role in arresting the spread of nuclear weapons in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Article from SGR Newsletter 41, autumn 2012 (published online: 22 October 2012)
 

18 months have passed since the massive earthquake and tsunami off the east coast of Japan triggered the Fukushima nuclear accident. Dr Ian Fairlie and Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, give an overview of why the nuclear disaster happened, why it is still occurring, and its implications to date.

Article from SGR Newsletter, no. 41, autumn 2012 (published online: 22 October 2012)
 

Dr Philip Webber, SGR, assesses the lessons for UK energy policy from a series of award-winning programmes using micro-renewable energy technologies and domestic energy conservation measures in West Yorkshire, and from new academic research on city-level sustainable energy programmes.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.41, autumn 2012 (advanced online publication: 3 September 2012)
 

Open letter from SGR to Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on the Draft Energy Bill and wider UK energy policy. The letter makes four main criticisms: insufficient curbs on greenhouse gas emissions of fossil fuel plants; favouritism towards the nuclear industry; inadequate support for the renewable energy industry; and failure to prioritise energy conservation.

19 July 2012
 

Four issues that are not likely to get the attention they deserve at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro...

15 June 2012
 

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, in Hereford, UK, 17 April 2012

An event to mark the Global Day of Action on Military Spending

 

There are increasingly vocal demands for military action to halt Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons programme. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, takes a critical look at the evidence for such a programme and argues that any military attack is likely to make matters considerably worse.

Article for INES website, 13 February 2012 (updated on 23 February and 27 March)
 

It is almost a year since the massive earthquake and tsunami off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011 which triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster. This article gives an overview of why the nuclear disaster happened, why it is still occurring, the main preliminary lessons, its implications to date and its effects in Europe. (It should be noted that information and new insights about Fukushima are appearing almost on a daily basis.)

Article by Dr Ian Fairlie for SGR website, 7 March 2012
 

Science and technology have contributed to huge changes in human society, bringing many benefits, but also helping to cause global scale problems. Using a series of examples from the past century or so, this presentation examines the balance of costs and benefits, and argues that the role of science and technology in society needs to change, if we are not to be overhwhelmed by the problems we now face.

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at the What is science for? teachers' conference, Widnes, Cheshire, UK

25 February 2012
 

Martin Quick CEng, SGR, critically examines the rapidly expanding shale gas industry, in particular its claimed role in helping to reduce carbon emissions.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 40, autumn 2011 (published online 14 December 2011)