Navigation

  • HMS Vanguard at Faslane naval base

    British Pugwash

    We use the best scientific expertise to inform the government and the public about issues relating to weapons of mass destruction, war and peace, the environment and the social responsibility of scientists.

  • RAF Reaper at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan

    British Pugwash

    We use the best scientific expertise to inform the government and the public about issues relating to weapons of mass destruction, war and peace, the environment and the social responsibility of scientists.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
You are here: Home
Our Patrons

Our Patrons are:
• Lord Martin Rees OM FRS
• Dame Athene Donald DBE FRS
• Sir Timothy Gowers FRS
• Sir Brian Heap FRS
• Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith FRS
• Prof Margaret MacMillan CH
• General Sir Nick Parker KCB CBE
• Sir Hew Strachan DL FRSE FRHistS
• Prof Angela Vincent FMedSci FRS

Our Activities

Our activities include studies of science and policy issues, regular public discussion and education meetings, and engagement with politicians and government officials.

Our publications include in-depth scientific and policy research, as well as newsletters, our Annual Reports and reports from conferences and events.

Our youth wing, SYP UK, is also extremely active and publishes updates on news and events here

Our Projects

Current projects include research on the ethics of armed robotic systems, the potential impact of emerging technologies on nuclear weapon systems, the climate-nuclear nexus and continued work on future energy options for the UK.

Recent projects include the WMD Awareness public education campaign and efforts to establish a British Disarmament Institute.

Membership

British Pugwash is a membership organisation that brings together scientists and others concerned with international affairs and disarmament.

We are led by our Executive Committee and receive the support of nine Patrons.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee comprises:

• Peter Jenkins CMG (Chairman)
• Dr Ian Crossland (Treasurer)
• Dr Tim Street (Secretary)
• Dr David Ellwood
• Dr Mamdouh El-Shanawany
• Sally Milne
• Dr Richard Guthrie
• Harry Spencer
• Shane Ward

Latest publications, events and news
You are here: Home › British Pugwash home

British Pugwash Newsletter: November / December 2022

Published on 24th November 2022 in Uncategorised, Nuclear Weapons, Joseph Rotblat: Life & Work, Emerging Technologies and the Impact on Strategic Stability, NPT, Newsletters, International Peace & Security, Recently published, Student Young Pugwash Upcoming Events

Items include:

1. Webinar on nuclear weapons and the Ukraine- 14th December
2. Video of September’s webinar
3. Memorial service for Dr Christopher Watson
4. Rodney Fielding, former member of British Pugwash
5. …

A British Pugwash Note on the Absence of Sole Purpose in NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept

Published on 3rd November 2022 in Uncategorised, Nuclear Weapons, Disarmament, NPT, International Peace & Security, Recently published

In June 2022 NATO members adopted an updated Strategic Concept (the preceding Concept having been adopted in 2010). There was reason to hope that in the updated Concept NATO members would envisage using nuclear weapons only in response to their first use by a nuclear-armed adversary.…

On ending the Ukraine conflict and reducing nuclear dangers

Published on 21st October 2022 in Uncategorised, Nuclear Weapons, International Peace & Security

Note by the President and the Secretary General of Pugwash

1. We note with great concern the worsening situation in the ongoing conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The annexation of areas currently controlled by the Russian military will exacerbate tensions as Ukraine seems determined to recover the occupied regions and is supported by several NATO countries.…

Dr Christopher Watson

Published on 21st August 2022 in Recent events

With great sadness British Pugwash learned of the death of a former chairman, Dr Christopher Watson, on 17 August.

Christopher had a career spanning 35 years in the UK nuclear industry, including 17 years at Culham, working on Controlled Fusion research (culminating in 5 years on the JET project).…

A reminder of why nuclear weapons must never be used (VIDEO)

Published on 28th April 2022 in Nuclear Weapons, International Peace & Security

In the video below, Dr Ira Helfand, co-chairman of the Nuclear Weapons Abolition Committee of Physicians for Social Responsibility, offers a timely reminder of the horrifying power of thermonuclear weapons and of the dire consequences of the political irresponsibility that has left Russia and the United States in possession of 10,000+ nuclear warheads thirty years after the end of the Cold War.…

SMR on a truck

VIDEO: Small Modular Reactors – Talk by Dr Mamdouh El-Shanawany

Published on 7th March 2022 in Climate Change and Energy Policy, Recent events, Recently published

On Tues 26th April, British Pugwash hosted a talk and discussion on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), covering issues like costs, security and safeguards.

The talk was given by Dr Mamdouh El-Shanawany, Chief Nuclear Advisor at Lloyd’s Register and formerly the Head of Nuclear Safety Assessment Section at the International Atomic Energy Agency.…

UK public opinion on ‘First Use’ of nuclear weapons (Oct 2021)

Published on 15th October 2021 in Nuclear Weapons, Current projects – feed, Recently published

British Pugwash note: Two Thirds of UK Public Opposed to “First Use” of Nuclear Weapons (PDF report here)

The “Interim National Security Strategic Guidance” of the United States, released on 3 March 2021, states that the Biden administration will take steps to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national security strategy, while ensuring that the U.S.…