THE government’s presumption against fracking in designated areas,
such as national parks, goes to show that the Coalition recognises that
hydraulic fracking will harm the environment and presents significant risks.
The Green Party calls on
the government to offer all communities the same protection from dirty and
dangerous fracking and shift energy policy focus instead towards clean,
renewable energy sources and energy conservation.
The latest bidding
process for licenses to extract shale gas from large parts of the UK is under
way (1). About half the UK is open to exploration, but tightened rules cover
areas of outstanding beauty. The Green Party is the only mainstream political
party fighting to stop fracking (2) being pushed through by a government which
consistently puts corporate profit over people.
Caroline Lucas, MP for
Brighton Pavilion, said:
“While the Government
has signalled an intention to ensure some protective measures, we can have
little confidence in promises of a robust regulatory framework.
“We know fracking can
cause water contamination and shortages, as well as air and soil pollution. And
this is an industry that’s made a catalogue of errors already. But
legitimate concerns over its very real environmental and health risks are falling
on deaf ears.
“By seeking to lock us
ever-more firmly into fossil fuel dependence the Government is turning a blind
eye to reason. It’s crystal clear that we need to be shifting to clean,
renewable energy sources.
“We need a rapid shift
to a zero carbon economy and that is not going to happen by pouring resources
into establishing an entirely new fossil fuel industry.”
Natalie Bennett, Green
Party leader, said:
"The announcement
from the government this morning is further acknowledgement, forced from them
by the passion of campaigners, that fracking would have a damaging impact on
our countryside and environment.
"If fracking isn't
appropriate in national parks or areas of outstanding natural beauty, then it
isn't appropriate anywhere in Britain's crowded, precious landscape.
"More, this
decision risks focusing any fracking that happens in Britain
in disadvantaged, poorer areas - Lord Howell's so-called 'desolate North'.
Bennett concluded:
"It needs to be
stated again that fracking is a damaging distraction from our need to focus on
energy conservation and renewable energy generation. We need to be working out
how to deal with the 'carbon bubble', not looking for more fossil fuels to add
to the problem."
Fracking, a
controversial technique for extracting fossil fuels, is widely opposed in
countries where it takes place (3).
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