And the industrial and environmental opportunities of alternative trajectories
The UK faces a critical juncture where it must stop precious industrial and financial resources being utilised for the nuclear industry if it is to build back better from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly as the driving force behind this dynamic appears to be to sustain military nuclear activities. Investment and reorientation of these capacities towards renewables would be better for the speed, number of jobs, and indeed aims of peace as the UK reorients its economy and energy system to be more sustainable both economically, socially and environmentally. Scientific institutions carry a responsibility in objectively assessing and communicating the implications of the choices in front of us, and have an obligation as 'responsible' scientific bodies or professional organisations to be clear about where support should best go to optimise the impact of climate and energy policy, and also in generating co-benefits such as jobs and well being.
Presentation by Dr Phil Johnstone, Sussex University, at the SGR conference, Transition Now
7 November 2020
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