Shale gas: ‘not a game changer’

Commenting on Professor Bradshaw’s presentation to the Royal Geographical Society’s conference in Edinburgh today, Friends of the Earth Scotland Campaigner Mary Church said:

“There’s increasing evidence that despite all the hype shale, and other unconventional gas like coalbed methane, is unlikely to be a game changer in terms of the UK’s energy needs. However it could be a game changer – of the kind we don’t want – for our climate if we allow the lure of cheap gas to distract us from developing a resilient, decentralised system based on renewable energy sources.

“Friends of the Earth Scotland is calling on the Government to undertake a full and independent analysis of all the risks associated with unconventional gas extraction before the industry is allowed to roll out across the UK without proper checks & balances.”

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact: Friends of the Earth Scotland  t: 0131 243 2700

Notes to Editors

1.    Professor Bradshaw is speaking at the Royal Geographical Society’s annual international conference in Edinburgh today: www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/C7FD827C-45CD-4170-919C-C1B0BAD682DF/0/120703BradshawGas.pdf 

2.    In a report commissioned by Friends of the Earth (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) ‘Why it’s time to take our foot off the gas’ Professor Bradshaw warns of the risks of relying on gas: www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/why_its_time_to_take_our_f.pdf 

3.    Friends of the Earth Scotland is * Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation * An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland * Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups – covering every continent. www.foe-scotland.org.uk