I don't think so. scare quotes would usually imply some sort of ironic detachment or sarcasm. In this case I really would call it emphasis. They're using it as I'd normally use italics or a word I'd follow by a citation. To signify that this is important and that the word is important for the meaning of the article.

I do disagree with that typographic choice, but looking at their other articles I think they're consistent in that usage.