Responsible Science

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.

Is the University of Edinburgh involved in research for autonomous weapons?

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

A short dictionary of war terminology

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

The Russia-Ukraine war and the climate crisis

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

The horror of war: Ukraine, nuclear weapons and military strategy

Dr Philip Webber, SGR, examines the how military strategy and modern weapon technologies are combining to cause a huge human tragedy in Ukraine - and how nuclear threats could make the situation even worse.

10 June 2022

Are the UK’s professional science organisations putting their money where their mouths are?

Dr Liz Kalaugher details progress on SGR’s latest investigation into the financial links between professional bodies and the fossil fuel and arms industries.

14 April 2022

Militarising research: The dark side of Global Britain’s science agenda

The British government wants the nation to be a 'science superpower' – but, asks Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, is this just a smokescreen to hide the expansion of military and economic priorities within the science and technology sectors?

5 April 2022

How the UK can learn from countries climbing out of gas dependence

In light of UK energy policy failings, Andrew Simms and Freddie Daley, Rapid Transition Alliance, look at where, even before the rapid shift in EU energy policy triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, huge leaps were being made in other countries to transition away from dependence on polluting gas.

18 March 2022

Does climate change cause war? Or does war cause climate change?

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, examines the evidence of whether climate change causes war or vice versa - and looks at some of the implications.

17 March 2022

Solving the UK’s energy crisis: Heat pumps and insulation for peace?

Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK's home energy bills were shooting up, catapulting millions more into fuel poverty. But there are solutions which tackle this poverty, reduce carbon emissions, and in the longer-term insulate us from some conflicts, argues Dr Philip Webber, SGR.

15 March 2022

The threat from nuclear winter

As the threat of a nuclear war grows, Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, outlines the catastrophic climatic consequences should nuclear weapons ever be used - based on the latest academic research.

10 March 2022

Issues: Security and disarmament