Issues: Climate change and energy

Climate change and energy

SGR produces a range of outputs on the issue of 'Climate change and energy'. This covers climate change science, technological and policy responses to climate change, energy supply technologies (especially renewable energy and nuclear power), energy use and energy efficiency (including in transport and buildings), and related policy and lifestyle issues.

Graph showing unfair carbon budget to 2050

The UK’s fair carbon budget will run out in 2026: here’s the evidence

Dr Ian Campbell shows how, on current trends, Britain’s carbon emissions will exceed its fair share of the limit necessary to hit the 1.5°C Paris target within two years. He outlines the key implications for policy-makers and society as a whole.

5 August 2024

Badvertising book cover cropped

Badvertising: how promoting pollution prevents climate action

Andrew Simms and Leo Murray examine how, if left unaddressed, the manipulation of our behaviour by advertising and fossil fuel industry propaganda will make it impossible to achieve the civilisation-level transformation required for life as we know it to survive the 21st century.

19 July 2024

Changed priorities sign (C Archer)

What should the next UK government prioritise? Views from scientists

Leading SGR figures outline some policy recommendations for the incoming British government on issues including climate change, energy, military and security, and AI.

18 June 2024 (updated)
 

Rethinking Security podcast icon

Addressing the environmental emergency

In this podcast, Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, Olivia Hanks, Green New Deal Group, and Larry Attree, Rethinking Security, discuss Earth system tipping points, Green New Deal proposals, and military v climate spending.

7 June 2024

Wildfire image by Pixabay

The extremism of the status quo

Andrew Simms, SGR, summarises the overlooked extremism of mainstream political positions on climate breakdown, militarism, and false technological solutions.

20 May 2024

Growth graffiti

Degrowth and green growth: what’s the difference for rapid climate action?

Dr Beth Stratford questions whether there really is a destructive conflict in the urgent next steps for climate action between advocates of ‘degrowth' and 'green growth’. Here she delves into the debate’s background.

13 May 2024

Woman with Virtual Reality goggles

Limits to techno-fix

Long established critic of overconsumption and advocate of simpler living, Australian academic Ted Trainer, speaks to SGR’s Andrew Simms about limits to technological responses to the climate and ecological emergency.

13 May 2024

Hydrogen moecules on blue background

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 an oil industry swindle designed to continue pollution-as-usual.

24 April 2024
 

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Nuclear power in Ukraine: what would happen if Zaporizhzhia was hit?

The Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine houses the largest nuclear power station in Europe. It is currently in an intensely fought war zone. Dr Philip Webber, SGR, explains some of the risks of radiation releases that this poses, both nationally and internationally.

17 April 2024 (updated)

Photo by Eduardo Enrietti

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.

21 March 2024