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 include studies of science and policy issues, regular public discussion and education meetings, and engagement with politicians and government officials.
You can watch videos of our recent webinars and events on our YouTube channel. Follow British Pugwash and Student / Young Pugwash on X (Twitter) and Facebook.
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
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.
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.
The Executive Committee comprises:
• Peter Jenkins CMG (Chairman)
• Dr Ian Crossland (Treasurer)
• Dr Tim Street (Secretary)
• James Brady
• Dr Peter Collecott
• Dr David Ellwood
• Dr Mamdouh El-Shanawany
• Andrew Gibson
• Dr Richard Guthrie
• Sally Milne
Pugwash note on the outcome of the 10th NPT Review Conference
Pugwash notes with regret that the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) have not been able to achieve consensus on a Final Document at the Tenth Review Conference. The NPT is an important element of the multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation regime, and all Parties must continue to support it in […]
Dr Christopher Watson
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). He then worked as a research […]
Pugwash Note on Present Dangers
The below Pugwash Note was written by Sergio Duarte, President, and Dr Paolo Cotta Ramusino, Secretary-General, of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. The present global situation is very dangerous. Not since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis have we had such a dangerous environment. But while the Cuban missile crisis lasted 13 days, […]
A reminder of why nuclear weapons must never be used (VIDEO)
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 […]
Note on nuclear risks and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (March 2022)
The below is a British Pugwash Note, prepared by Peter Jenkins CMG, Chairman of British Pugwash. It is titled ‘How high is the risk of nuclear weapon use following the Russian invasion of Ukraine?’ and is in PDF format here During an interview on 3 March Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, said: We have a […]
VIDEO: Small Modular Reactors – Talk by Dr Mamdouh El-Shanawany
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.