Issues: Security and disarmament

Security and disarmament

SGR produces a range of resources on the issue of 'security and disarmament'. This covers military technologies, arms control and disarmament (esp. nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, ‘Missile Defense’, conventional weapons) - as well as alternative concepts of security, peace building and conflict prevention.

Scientists and engineers have a central role in the development of weapons and therefore share a special responsibilty to society. SGR's project work has investigated the extensive influence that the military has over science and technology.

The UK government is considering increasing its military budget in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, outlines eight reasons why this budget should not be increased.

10 March 2023

Presentation by Dr Philip Webber, SGR, summarising the current risks due to nuclear weapons.

3 March 2023

In February, 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces to invade Ukraine. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assesses the data on the impacts of the war during the course of the year – both on the battlefield and beyond it – and considers what the future might hold.

20 February 2023

SGR's Executive Director, Dr Stuart Parkinson, gave oral evidence on military carbon emissions to the UK House of Commons Defence Committee.

24 January 2023

An innovative new methodology for estimating global and regional military greenhouse gas emissions suggests that the world’s militaries are responsible for 5.5% of global emissions - according to a new report by SGR and CEOBS.

10 November 2022

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assesses how the war in Ukraine is undermining efforts to tackle climate change and poverty - both in the UK and internationally.

29 October 2022

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, summarises the catastrophic impacts of a nuclear war. This includes the effects of a single weapon and the potential for massive climate disruption.

25 September 2022

Partnerships between the military and UK academia are being rapidly expanded. Alba Andrés Sánchez examines whether some of them might be used to help develop lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS).

15 September 2022

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, looks at how the language used to describe war – including that in Ukraine – can mislead and obscure the situation. He provides a short guide for cutting through the information fog.

26 August 2022

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, summarises the ways in which the Russia-Ukraine war is fuelling climate change both on and off the battlefield - putting the 1.5C temperature target in jeopardy.

14 June 2022