The INES Global Responsibility Newsletter reports and comments – from a global perspective – on political, technical and societal developments and comprises of regular internal news sections.
» Subscribe
Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Homage in Nagpur/India
The Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection (IIPDEP), member of INES, jointly arranged the Hiroshima & Nagasaki Day on 9. August 2010 with the Raman Science Center ( A Unit of the National Council of Science Museum, Government of India), the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP), The "No More Hiroshima, No More Nagasaki-movement and the Peace Museum, India.
As a future citizens and policy makers high school students from six schools were invited to participate in this special event. Mr. Pathak, Director of the Raman Science Center and Balkrishna Kurvey, President of the IIPDEP and Member of the INES Executive Committee adressed the delegates.
In a science quiz on nuclear weapons and its effects students showed a remarkable knowledge about the dangers of those weapons of mass destruction.
Scientists Condemn Government over Cuts to Environmental Watchdogs
Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) today condemned the government's decision to withdraw funding for the Sustainable Development Commission and abolish the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.
Dr Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director of SGR, said "The Sustainable Development Commission and the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution have been highly influential watchdogs on environmental issues. Their robust reports have led to major changes in thinking within government and across British society. The announcement by the Environment Secretary is, in effect, saying that the government's environmental policies no longer need the level of scrutiny that these independent, expert bodies provided. This thoroughly undermines the government's claimed commitment to sustainable development."
Contact: Dr Stuart Parkinson +44 (0) 7941 953640
SGR is a member of INES and is an independent UK-based membership organisation of about 1,000 natural and social scientists, engineers, IT professionals and architects. It promotes science, design and technology that contribute to peace, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
For more information, see: www.sgr.org.uk/
30. June 2010
Does Deterrence Really Deter?
By Martin Hellman
Calling nuclear deterrence by that name was a stroke of marketing genius for selling it to the public. Unfortunately, that stroke of genius was also a potential death sentence for us all by hiding another, more ominous aspect of this strategy.
To deter someone is “to discourage him from doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.” Hence, deterrence implies that it will work, that it will deter adversaries from calling our nuclear bluff.
"Science for Peace and Development: The Case of the Hippocratic oath for Scientists"
It is a pleasure to let you know that the Regional Bureau for Science of UNESCO in Latin America and the Caribbean in Montevideo, has just published abook in Spanish about "Science for Peace and Development: The Case of the Hippocratic oath for Scientists" it has a collection of essays in this particular topic with a full review of all initiatives to develop oaths or pledges for scientists not to be involved in military R&D. We list 90 diffrent proposals made in the whole history, some of them are still being used. The book also included all those UN and UNESCO official documents and resolutions at which the relation between science and peace is mentioned.
We think that this document might be of interest of all INES members. The book can be downloaded here:
Guillermo A. Lemarchand (editor of the book)
Contact: emarcorreoubaar
Mexico's Maize Diversity in Danger
Mexico City, September 29, 2009.
Sign a statement of the Unión de Científicos Comprometidos con la Sociedad (UCCS) to the President of Mexico, Mr. Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa to prevent irreversible damage to one of the World's most precious resources:
Mexico's maize diversity.
Statement
This year you stand in a historical position to prevent irreversible damage to one of the World's most precious resources: Mexico's maize diversity. We observe that your Administration may be rushing to introduce genetically modified (GM) maize into the Mexican environment and we are convinced, from our understanding of the scientific evidence, that this move represents a disproportionate risk which should be avoided for the benefit of Mexico and the World. Joined together in our well-informed concern, we urge you to move aggressively to ensure that no GM maize is planted in Mexico, the Center of Origin and Diversification of this most important crop.
Chris Langley, a former neuroscientist and Research Officer of Scientists for Global Responsibility ([EXT http://www.sgr.org.uk]www.sgr.org.uk[/EXT]) talks about the funding of universty research by government ministries of defence and military companies.
Soldiers in the Laboratory
Lab Times, Apr 2009 read more
The A-bomb dome in Hiroshima Photo: Alexander Warnolf/www.sxc.hu
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Rememberance Events in India
The Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection (IIPDEP) in collaboration with INES and International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) is organizing events on the occasion of remembering Hiroshima - Nagasaki Bombing Days, from 6th August to 9th August 2008 at Nagpur, India.
Electronic petition against US military base in the Czech Republic
Dear friends,
I would like to invite you as well as all members of INES EC, INES Council, member organisations, individual INES members and their friends to support our civic initiative and sign the electronic petition adressed to US and Czech Governments against the US military base on the Czech territory.
The petition with explanatory text is available in 9 languages: www.nechciradar.cz
Looking forward to seeing you at the earliest opportunity again.
With my best regards
Jiri Matousek
An international appeal for action against global warming
Global warming threatens the future of the earth. Act now, before it is too late, which we invite you to sign. We believe that the immediacy of this threat has been grossly underestimated in the international negotiations devoted to it until now. Our appeal is to be sent to the highest political authorities in Asia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, because we believe the key to halting the menace to the human future of excessive warming lies in swift and effective political action.
