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Original poster

To think the govt is mad for revoking the fracking ban?

125 replies

ShangPie · 22/09/2022 13:59

That’s just it really - I can’t believe that the government has revoked the fracking ban.

It’s all kinds of wrong for loads of reasons:

Seriously damages the environment locally
Contributes to global climate change
Makes us more dependent on fossil fuels
Not-insignificant risk of manmade earthquakes near fracking sites!

To name just a few that come to mind…

Can we get this govt petition up to the 10,000 needed to reconsider it?

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/614611

OP posts:
GiltEdges · 22/09/2022 14:05

There are two sides to every debate. Some of the benefits of fracking include:

  • Improved economic activity
  • Higher house prices
  • Employment opportunities
  • Lower carbon dioxide emissions
  • Lower energy prices
  • Reduced dependence on foreign supply / increased energy security

Sadly, renewable energy sources alone will never be enough to meet demand. Fracking, as well as increased use of nuclear power, are the inevitable future for the UK.

Dotjones · 22/09/2022 14:10

What's your solution instead? And how long would it take to implement?

Renewables are not the way forward, they cannot produce the amount of power we need. Nuclear is probably the best option but even that attracts criticism.

That's the point - as far as I can tell, every power source draws criticism. People complain about coal, gas and oil because "they're bad for the environment." People complain about nuclear because "it's expensive, dangerous and has huge cleanup considerations given the short operating window of the power plant." People don't want solar, because it takes up land which could be farmed or built on. Wind farms are unsightly and kill wildlife. Hydro is basically declaring war on nature.

mamabear715 · 22/09/2022 14:11

Yes. I've already signed a petition.

Quincythequince · 22/09/2022 14:11

GiltEdges · 22/09/2022 14:05

There are two sides to every debate. Some of the benefits of fracking include:

  • Improved economic activity
  • Higher house prices
  • Employment opportunities
  • Lower carbon dioxide emissions
  • Lower energy prices
  • Reduced dependence on foreign supply / increased energy security

Sadly, renewable energy sources alone will never be enough to meet demand. Fracking, as well as increased use of nuclear power, are the inevitable future for the UK.

Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Raddix · 22/09/2022 14:14

We have no choice. We desperately need fuel to keep our economy and society going. To avoid millions of deaths. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

DdraigGoch · 22/09/2022 14:18

It's worth noting that the anti-fracking campaign was funded by the Russians. It's not hard to see how it was in Putin's interests to keep us dependent upon Russian gas.

By the way, an "earth tremor" of 2.9 on the Richter scale certainly won't "throw you out of bed" as some have claimed. Most people wouldn't even notice it.

randomchap · 22/09/2022 14:18

@GiltEdges

Would you care to share your source for those claims?

I'm interested in seeing how a new source of fossil fuel will lower carbon emissions and how fracking will raise house prices. What mechanism will be driving the house price rises?

As the gas will be sold on the international markets, how will it lower the price?

DelilahBucket · 22/09/2022 14:20

Actually, as a temporary fix I think it's a good idea. I don't forsee it being the be all and end all, but it's the quickest way to start generating more energy here while other projects get up and running. No it's not ideal, but neither is the situation we are currently in.

sashagabadon · 22/09/2022 14:22

i think it's a good idea - we need a diverse portfolio of energy sources and it's not very environmentally friendly importing fossil fuels from overseas.
Energy security is obviously raising it's head too.

Lonelycrab · 22/09/2022 14:24

Founder of Caudrilla doesn’t seem to think it’ll work.

Link

155ninjas · 22/09/2022 14:25

It’s the stupidest idea. Absolutely idiotic.

Fracking is an environmental disaster. It can cause earthquakes and can poison the water. I absolutely despair

MikeWozniaksMoustache · 22/09/2022 14:26

I don’t understand this either. The head of Cuadrilla has said due to the geological make you of the U.K. fracking is pointless and won’t help bring energy costs down. Just another avenue to siphon off money into their mates / own pockets.
amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/21/fracking-wont-work-uk-founder-chris-cornelius-cuadrilla

Lonelycrab · 22/09/2022 14:27

We’ve had enough of experts, remember Wink

1dayatatime · 22/09/2022 14:28

It's an irrelevant sound bite from Liz Truss to keep her party members happy and to be seen to be doing something about energy security and prices.

In reality the amount of gas produced from fracking in the UK will be minimal and the cost significant. It's all very well drilling numerous and frequent news fracking wells across a sparsely populated area like Nebraska but doing the same in Cheshire is simply not going to happen.

amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/21/fracking-wont-work-uk-founder-chris-cornelius-cuadrilla

Treaclemine · 22/09/2022 14:30

The CEO of Caudrilla has said that there is no point in fracking in the UK as the geology of Britain doesn't have the sort of expanses of shales found in North America, and what there is is heavily fractured and broken up. You wouldn't get gas out of it in the quantities and the timescale suggested by Truss.
The arguments above are irrelevant.

Treaclemine · 22/09/2022 14:31

Oops cross post.

Joystir59 · 22/09/2022 14:31

randomchap · 22/09/2022 14:18

@GiltEdges

Would you care to share your source for those claims?

I'm interested in seeing how a new source of fossil fuel will lower carbon emissions and how fracking will raise house prices. What mechanism will be driving the house price rises?

As the gas will be sold on the international markets, how will it lower the price?

Fracking is purely a profit making excercise for business, it isn't going to be done to make us more self sufficient in fuel.

TinaWeymouthsBass · 22/09/2022 14:32

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/children-born-near-fracking-sites-have-an-increased-risk-for-leukemia-180980641/
you might want to have a read of this if your planning on living near a fracking site and having children, it's one of many reports about the increased insidence of serious illness related to fracking.

Joystir59 · 22/09/2022 14:33

sashagabadon · 22/09/2022 14:22

i think it's a good idea - we need a diverse portfolio of energy sources and it's not very environmentally friendly importing fossil fuels from overseas.
Energy security is obviously raising it's head too.

Fuel produced from fracking will be sold on international energy markets for profit. It will not be used by us to bring down our fuel prices or to make us self sufficient

DdraigGoch · 22/09/2022 14:35

randomchap · 22/09/2022 14:18

@GiltEdges

Would you care to share your source for those claims?

I'm interested in seeing how a new source of fossil fuel will lower carbon emissions and how fracking will raise house prices. What mechanism will be driving the house price rises?

As the gas will be sold on the international markets, how will it lower the price?

Burning gas is far less polluting than burning coal. This has helped the US reduce its emissions by 25% in a decade.

Alexandra2001 · 22/09/2022 14:41

DdraigGoch · 22/09/2022 14:18

It's worth noting that the anti-fracking campaign was funded by the Russians. It's not hard to see how it was in Putin's interests to keep us dependent upon Russian gas.

By the way, an "earth tremor" of 2.9 on the Richter scale certainly won't "throw you out of bed" as some have claimed. Most people wouldn't even notice it.

Agree, Putin funded British Cycling and our medal haul in 2012.

Or do you really believe the residents of a small Lancashire village were really in league with Putin?

But on funding, maybe look a bit closer to home and millions of Russian money given to the Tories.

The UK just isn't suitable for fracking, too small and too heavily populated, its also years away.

North Sea is dwindling, new licences or Fracking wont change that but more energy efficiency, greater gas storage and even more renewables is, in the short term, the way fwd, hydrogen is the longer term solution.

Lonelycrab · 22/09/2022 14:45

Have the government published their impact report on fracking yet? The one that was supposed to be published a couple of weeks back. Last I’d heard they were keeping it secret and not allowing any scrutiny.

Wonder why that could be…..

waterlego · 22/09/2022 14:45

DelilahBucket · 22/09/2022 14:20

Actually, as a temporary fix I think it's a good idea. I don't forsee it being the be all and end all, but it's the quickest way to start generating more energy here while other projects get up and running. No it's not ideal, but neither is the situation we are currently in.

Agree with this. Fracking is far from ideal, and I was very opposed to it when we did it previously. But the situation we’re in now is pretty dire, and it might be our best option short-term.

Alexandra2001 · 22/09/2022 14:49

waterlego · 22/09/2022 14:45

Agree with this. Fracking is far from ideal, and I was very opposed to it when we did it previously. But the situation we’re in now is pretty dire, and it might be our best option short-term.

Show quote history

How? fracked gas production on a large scale is many years away, even if possible.

Gas produced is sold as is North Sea gas priced at the global commodity rate, there is zero cost benefit to the UK consumer.

Maybe look at how gas is priced before saying fracking is a short term solution?

Truss has also said said it will only take place where there is local support, if she means that, there will be no fracking sites.

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