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.

The costs of replacing Trident

Article by Stuart Parkinson, SGR, in the Institue of Physics magazine, Physics World, 1 March 2007
 

Sustainable energy at the local level – making it happen

Philip Webber describes how a small council-based environment unit implemented one of the UK’s largest programmes on local sustainable energy, despite a wide range of obstacles.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 33, winter 2007
 

Predators, Drones and Robofly: Robotics and the military

Chris Langley describes how military interests have become pervasive in robotic science and engineering and outlines the ethical problems this causes.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 33, winter 2007
 

 

Moving beyond terrorism in the security debate

John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group, argues that our governments’ obsession with terrorism is stopping us from tackling the underlying causes of global insecurity.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 33, winter 2007
 

Skills shortages - will nuclear or renewables lose out?

With the announcement of new nuclear power stations for the UK, Stuart Parkinson questions whether there will be enough skilled workers to deliver them, and asks whether the attempt will divert workers from sectors such as renewable energy.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 33, winter 2007
 

Guns and Global Warming: War, Peace and the Environment

Notes of a presentation given by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at the Network for Peace AGM, London.

10 February 2007
 

 

The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent: SGR Response

Submission to the Defence Committee Inquiry, January 2007
 

Keeping nuclear weapons or tackling climate change?

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at a seminar organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, at the Houses of Parliament in December, 2006

The presentation uses government and industry data to carry out a new analysis of the degree to which Trident replacement could undermine action on climate change. It concludes there is significant threat - due to competition for both funding and skills.
 

The Future of the Strategic Nuclear Deterrent - the UK manufacturing and skills base: SGR Response

Submission to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, November 2006
 

New Nuclear Build: SGR Response

Response to Consultation on the UK Government's Policy Framework for New Nuclear Build, submitted on 31 October 2006