Three environmental groups are calling on the Government to meet two key tests before jumping on the shale gas “bandwagon”.
Friends of the Earth, RSPB and WWF have written to the Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey asking to prove shale gas doesn’t affect the nation’s ability to deliver on its climate change targets and has no effect on wildlife.
They claim the regulations in place for the extraction process, known as fracking, are not adequate and the impacts are not fully understood. The process works by pumping high pressured water into tight layers of rock deep underground to extract gas.
Andy Atkins, Friends of the Earth Executive Director said: “The Government must halt shale gas drilling to properly assess the risks – including the impact on climate change. With big changes to our electricity system due in the months ahead, Energy Secretary Ed Davey must resist calls to hook the nation on polluting gas that has been the main drive of rising energy bills and instead back a switch to home-grown clean energy.”
David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of WWF-UK added: “Instead of jumping on the shale gas bandwagon, which is clearly not consistent with a low emission future, the Government must reaffirm its commitment to tackling climate change and prioritise renewables and energy efficiency.”
The organisations claim the overall climate impact of shale gas is greater than conventional gas and could be as high as that of coal.
September 10th, 2012 at 10:48 am
There have been many reports on risk assessment, the most recent from the EU, and they certainly see no insurmountable issues.
Report comment Report commentAnd as for a bandwagon: The EU also states that shale could replace one hundred billion euros of current energy imports each year.
The FOE may sniffily deride that as just money, but the rest of us would like to find out when the bandwagon is stopping in their town.
September 10th, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Agree entirely with Nick – What is it with this “GREEN” blindness – they dont see the HUGE carbon footprints (elephants in rooms) of all the “ECO” technologies (Wind/solar/wave etc)
GAS out of the ground under foot direct to sparks = power for this computer
UNSUBSIDESED!
TAXABLE!
Lets get our RESOURCE FOR US! The economy/jobs- our individual cost savings
By all means create a wealth fund from a portion of the income revenues to then “FEED” to bird shredder’s et al – but without taxing ME/YOU and everyone to death.
A high pressure weather system over the uk for a week in the depths of winter will generate A LOT OF TALK! about how the windies dont DO NOWT!
NOW LETS GET REALISTIC NOT TRENDY
September 11th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Instead of jumping on the Wind /Solar power bandwagon, we as a country, and a planet should be investing all we can to extract shale gas from under our feet.
As I understand it, this process is very clean.
What are the FoE and RSPB and WWF talking about, and why are they scaremongering us? The Renewable Industry is cosin this country a fortune, and preventing us from climbing out of recession, as industry costs are rising, and this is preventing new jobs from being created.
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