Responsible Science is SGR’s journal in which we explore some of the biggest ethical challenges facing science and technology today. It comes with membership of SGR and keeps you up-to-date with what we’re doing as an independent, membership organisation made up of hundreds of natural scientists, social scientists, engineers and people who are simply interested. Contents include in-depth feature articles, reviews and news on SGR's activities.

April 2024
 

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In issue no.6...
 

Editorial by Andrew Simms: The extremism of the status quo

Feature articles

• Gaza: One of the most intense bombardments in history?
  • Dr Philip Webber and Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR,  assess the scale of the Israeli military assault in comparison with other wars, and consider the possibilities for peace.
• War, climate breakdown and economic injustice: Tackling the triple crisis
  • Prof Paul Rogers, University of Bradford, examines the interlinkages between the world’s major crises, and outlines some ways forward.
• The point of no return: How close is the world to irreversible climate change?
  • Prof Bill McGuire, University College London, summarises the disturbing evidence on tipping points in the climate system.
• Why is behaviour change a better bet than techno-optimism?
  • Prof. Lorraine Whitmarsh, Bath University, argues that when it comes to tackling climate breakdown, changing the behaviour of the world’s high consumers guarantees better results than just trusting to technology.
• Degrowth and green growth: What's the difference for rapid climate action?
  • Dr Beth Stratford delves into the debate.
• Badvertising: How promoting pollution prevents climate action
  • Andrew Simms, SGR, and Leo Murray, Possible, outline why the manipulation of our behaviour by advertising and fossil fuel industry propaganda must be stopped.
• Limits to technofix
  • Dr Ted Trainer speaks to SGR's Andrew Simms about limits to technological responses to the climate and ecological emergencies.
• R&D and the polycrisis: From corporate science to responsible science?
  • Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, highlights a range of problems with current science policies, and suggests ways in which they could better contribute to tackling the polycrisis and meeting social and environmental goals.
• Hydrogen gives the blues
  • Prof Kevin Anderson, University of Manchester, and researcher Simon Oldridge argue that the UK government's hydrogen energy plan isn't green at all: it's am oil industry swindle designed to continue pollution-as-usual.
• Nuclear power and net zero: Too little, too late, too expensive

  • Prof Steve Thomas, Greenwich University, assesses the overwhelming obstacles to the UK government’s target for new nuclear power.

News from SGR

• Climate change and the military
• War, AI and nuclear technologies
• Militarisation of science and technology
• Fossil fuels and climate change
• Sustainable food project
• Fair Lifestyle Targets
• Who's who in SGR
• Improving our communications
• Organisational update
• Science4Society teaching resources
• Obituary: Prof. Roy Butterfield

Event review

• SGR's 2023 conference
  Responsible science and the polycrisis: New hope versus false solutions