Before the end of October, fracking companies will have submitted their bids to the UK Government for exclusive rights to exploit shale gas and coalbed methane across vast swathes of the country.
At the same time, the UK Government is going ahead with plans to remove the right to object to – or even be notified about – fracking underneath your home!Over 20,000 square km is up for grabs in some of the most populous and beautiful parts of central and southern Scotland. Not only is fracking linked to serious public health risks, impacts on water resources and the local environment, but opening up a new frontier of fossil fuels as we face climate catastrophe is the last thing we should be doing.
This threat is very real - you will have seen in the news that petro-chemicals giant INEOS plans to bribe communities to allow fracking in their area.
The Scottish Government has taken a more cautious approach to fracking and drilling for unconventional gas than its Whitehall counterpart. Yet it still talks about shale gas as an opportunity when in reality it is nothing but a threat to our health and our climate.
Scottish Ministers say they need more powers at Holyrood to properly regulate the fracking industry. But while greater devolution to the Scottish Parliament would likely be a good thing, the Scottish Government could choose to use existing powers to block fracking in Scotland.
Please email your MSP now to call on the Scottish Government to stop the advance of unconventional gas and fracking in Scotland whether or not Holyrood gets more powers.
Head of Campaigns
Friends of the Earth Scotland
Friends of the Earth Scotland
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