This POSTnote outlines applications of semiconductor chips. It gives an overview of the supply chain, the UK’s semiconductor industry, vulnerabilities to the supply chain and policy considerations for improving supply chain resilience.
This briefing explains how and why disinformation is spread. It evaluates real-world impact and outlines counter-initiatives and policy considerations.
This POSTnote summarises wildfire threats and management in the UK, and outlines options for increasing the resilience of UK landscapes and habitats to wildfire.
This POSTnote considers transitions to meet environmental targets and how their costs and benefits for different members of society can be distributed fairly.
This POSTnote summarises how the One Health approach can be used to tackle key impacts of climate change and threats to public health. It outlines the key features, challenges and opportunities of implementation. This briefing takes a global perspective on implementing the approach, with areas of focus on UK policy.
This POSTnote outlines the key components of Problem-solving courts (PSC) and summarises the key outcomes of different PSC. It concludes with highlighting the opportunities and challenges to implementation of PSC across England and Wales.
Plant biosecurity refers to measures to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and pathogens via trade and natural pathways that pose plant health risks.
This POSTnote looks at hypersonic missile technologies, efforts to develop them, potential applications, and the possible challenges they may present for missile defence and global stability.
States are increasingly engaging in cyber operations to support their strategic aims. This POSTnote considers hostile state-backed cyber activities against the UK. It looks at how and why states use cyber operations against other nations and the threats these pose to the UK. It also considers mitigation measures, both internationally and in the UK.
Advances in robotics and digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are enabling greater levels of automation across many sectors, including defence. The UK Government expects automation to be crucial to maintain military advantage in the future. In June 2022, the Ministry of Defence published its Defence AI Strategy, which sets out how it plans to adopt and exploit AI; automation was cited as a key application. This POSTnote discusses current and future applications of automation and AI, their impact on militaries and global stability, and the challenges around their development and implementation.
Climate change is creating complex risks for societies, with globalisation increasing dependencies and interconnectedness between nations. This POSTnote sets out the potential security implications of climate change, arising from both its impacts on human systems and the ‘transition risks’ from climate change mitigation measures. It also describes the tools and approaches that could be used to manage the risks and opportunities arising.
Sharing public sector data can improve public services, facilitate research and innovation, and inform policymaking. However, public sector bodies face challenges when sharing data, both within the public sector and externally. These include cultural and skills barriers, poor data quality, and lack of public trust. Sharing public sector data also raises security and privacy concerns. This POSTnote looks at how public sector data is shared in the UK, discussing the requirements for effective data sharing and the associated benefits, risks, and barriers.
"Smart cities" describes places that incorporate a range of technologies (especially those that collect and use data) to address economic, social, and environmental challenges. Projects usually take place in urban areas, but are also deployed in rural settings. This POSTnote looks at smart city innovation in the UK and the technologies involved. It considers the factors driving the adoption of smart city technologies, and the potential benefits, barriers and risks associated with their implementation.
Space-based assets (satellites and the terrestrial ground stations that communicate with them) provide critical support to military and civilian operations. They are vulnerable to unintentional damage and disruption, and to deliberate attack. This POSTnote outlines how the UK uses and accesses satellites, potential risks to satellites, and approaches to mitigation.