Submission to the Defence Committee Inquiry

Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) submits that the UK faces no current military threats justifying the replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system. The organization argues that maintaining nuclear weapons contradicts the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and that the financial and technical resources required for a successor should instead be redirected toward mitigating climate change and developing a low-carbon economy. SGR further contends that the science and engineering skills needed for Trident replacement are in short supply and would be more beneficially deployed in sectors such as renewable energy, specifically offshore wind, wave, and tidal projects.

• SGR asserts that the UK currently faces no direct or impending military threats from established nuclear weapon states or large conventional forces, and that nuclear weapons are ineffective against the only significant current threat: non-state actors and terrorists.
• The replacement of the Trident system is viewed as a violation of the spirit of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), as the UK is committed to pursuing complete nuclear disarmament; SGR suggests this hypocrisy may render the action illegal.
• SGR argues that climate change is a far greater threat to human society than conventional military threats, and that the resources intended for a Trident successor should be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy.
• The document highlights a shortage of science and technology skills, noting that the renewable energy sector could see an expansion of up to 27,000 jobs by 2020, which would compete for the same engineering skills required for submarine manufacture.

APA

Scientists for Global Responsibility (2007). Submission to the Defence Committee Inquiry. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/future-united-kingdom-s-nuclear-deterrent-sgr-response

Chicago

Scientists for Global Responsibility. Submission to the Defence Committee Inquiry. 2007. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/future-united-kingdom-s-nuclear-deterrent-sgr-response.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Scientists for Global Responsibility |title=Submission to the Defence Committee Inquiry |date=January 2007 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/future-united-kingdom-s-nuclear-deterrent-sgr-response |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{scientistsforglobalresponsibility2007submission, author = {{Scientists for Global Responsibility}}, title = {{Submission to the Defence Committee Inquiry}}, publisher = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2007}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/future-united-kingdom-s-nuclear-deterrent-sgr-response}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }