Issues

We currently focus on four main issues: disarmament and security, climate change and energy, questions of who controls science and technology and issues surrounding new and emerging technologies. You will also see that we work on some other issues too. You can explore these with the menu on the left of this page and with the search function. Material in this section includes all SGR's main outputs since 2005, with a selection of the more important material from before then.

New report highlights the dangers of UK nuclear weapons

Media release, 6 August 2015
 

Trident missile launch

UK nuclear weapons: a catastrophe in the making?

This report highlights the latest scientific and technical information about the risks posed by the continued deployment of Britain's submarine-based Trident nuclear weapons system.

SGR report by Dr Philip Webber and Dr Stuart Parkinson.; 6 August 2015

UK arms industry: ethical concerns and alternatives (July 2015)

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, critically examines the UK arms industry, starting with ethical issues such as nuclear weapons, the international arms trade and influence over UK security policy. He then considers the potential for alternatives - including less aggressive approaches to international security and expansion of civilian employment, including low carbon technologies.

Presentation at the 37th NJPN conference, Derbyshire, UK; 18 July 2015
 

Making the case for effective climate policy

There is a gulf between the scientific reality of climate change and the political response to it. Tom Pashby, Fleming Policy Centre, outlines a proposal that could bridge that gap.

ResponsibleSci blog, 8 July 2015

 

Flights from Sense: How Space Tourism Will Alter the Climate

In the wake of the Virgin Galactic crash, Philip Chapman investigates the potential environmental impacts should space tourism recover from its recent setbacks and become a thriving global industry.

27 June 2015

 

UK scientists recommend actions to address the climate crisis

Ahead of the critical Paris climate summit in December and the upcoming climate lobby of the UK parliament on 17 June, SGR asked a number of energy and climate scientists at UK universities to provide roughly 50 words on what policies they would like the government to put in place. Their responses are as follows.

ResponsibleSci blog, 12 June 2015
 

From Corporate Science to Science for Society

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at a TEDx event organised by Lancaster University

Online release: 8 June 2015
 

UK energy R&D – time for a rethink?

With a new government in power and a new international call for action on energy research from the Global Apollo Programme, Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assesses whether the U's energy R&D is heading in the right direction. One question, in particular, is whether nuclear R&D or renewables R&D should be prioritised.

ResponsibleSci blog, 3 June 2015
 

 

Why now is the right time to abolish the UK's nuclear weapons

Politicians are debating updating the UK's ageing Trident weapons system, but security and money pressures make renewal wrong, says Dr Philip Webber, SGR

Article in New Scientist, 28 May 2015
 

Shale gas and fracking: Introducing the key issues

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, to local councillors in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK

Published online: 20 April 2015.