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.

Climate or military?

The publication of the latest volume from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - which focuses on reducing carbon emissions - has coincidentally come as the annual figures on global military spending are released. Comparing these sources provides a revealing insight into the priorities of our political masters - and how they misuse science and technology.

ResponsibleSci blog entry by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, 14 April 2014

 

SGR supports submission criticising nuclear subsidies

SGR Sponsors, Prof Keith Barnham, Prof Roy Butterfield and Prof Dave Webb, and Director, Dr Stuart Parkinson, are among the signatories of a submission to the European Commission criticising proposed financial support for two new nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point.

7 April 2014
 

Science Festivals: how can we challenge the power of big business?

ResponsibleSci blog entry by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, 28 March 2014
 

Children learn about greener technologies and eco-living

Press release, 21 March 2014
 

Take arms firms out of the Big Bang Fair

Over a dozen SGR members, including Secretary Dr Charalampos Tsoumpas and Sponsor Prof David Webb are among the signatories of a letter to The Guardian newspaper protesting about arms industry sponsorship of the The Big Bang science fair.

12 March 2014
 

Military R&D: Is it helping or hindering our security? (Feb 2014)

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at Dept of Sociology, Lancaster University

25 February 2014
 

Nuclear weapons over wind turbines? UK R&D policies are warped

Weapons of mass destruction get five times as much public research cash in the UK as renewable energy. Time for a rethink, says Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR

Article in New Scientist, 10 February 2014

 

Total spending on UK nuclear weapons R&D revealed

Press release, 10 February 2014
 

Fossil fuels: more than we can safely burn

Martin Quick CEng discusses concerns about tar sands and shale gas in relation to the drastic reductions in fossil fuel use shown to be needed in the latest IPCC report.

13 January 2014

 

Environmental cohousing: a contribution to sustainable living

Dr Jan Maskell discusses the potential of environmental cohousing to encourage and support sustainable living. She describes the recently completed Lancaster Cohousing project in the UK as an example of what can be achieved.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.42, autumn 2013; published online: 7 January 2014