There are few issues more vital in politics than the imperative to keep the nation’s lights on. Shale gas as a major source of fuel within the U.K. borders is of huge benefit, and it would be a foolish government that did not take advantage of it.
Recent events in Ukraine and the Middle East should serve as a reminder that the U.K.’s energy supplies are far from safe. The fact that Europe relies on troubled regions for so much of its energy is dangerous.
The much-discussed risks of fracking are no doubt overstated – there is no serious danger of contamination of groundwater or severe earthquakes, as some of its opponents have claimed. What’s more, shale gas is a far cleaner fuel than either coal or oil, releasing fewer carbon emissions and other pollutants. But fracking sites are major industrial works; extreme care should be taken in deciding where it is suitable to place them.
It is to be welcomed, then, that the Government is to limit fracking in the U.K.’s national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, apart from in “exceptional circumstances”.
-tk-