12 years to limit climate catastrophe: UK starts fracking

Press release
The government’s backing of fracking is ‘morally bankrupt’ says Friends of the Earth as fracking starts in Lancashire today.
  Published:  15 Oct 2018    |      1 minute read

Despite the latest evidence from scientists of the limited time left to avert climate catastrophe, the first fracking in the UK, since a test attempt 7 years ago resulted in earth tremors, has begun.

Today’s fracking comes at the start of the government’s Green Great Britain week, which aims to raise debate around climate change, and as the government announces it has asked the Committee on Climate Change to  advise on how the UK can reach net zero carbon emissions.

It is the first fracking in the UK since a test attempt 7 years ago resulted in earth tremors. It makes England the only nation in the UK where fracking has been allowed to take place; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have put a stop to the process because of the risks.

Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth chief executive, said:

“The world’s leading climate scientists have published findings that couldn’t be starker: to have a hope of containing global warming we must take action now.

“Yet, ironically, on the same day the government boldly asks how it can reduce carbon emissions to zero, fracking begins. It is morally bankrupt to be heralding the start of a whole new fossil fuel industry, when climate catastrophe awaits. You can deal with climate change or you can have fracking – you can’t do both.”

Craig Bennett added:

“They’ve been trying to frack in Lancashire for over 7 years but people power has kept this dirty industry at bay. Now, because the industry has failed to take off, the government wants to fast-track fracking and make it easier to drill across the English countryside. We’ll keep campaigning until fracking is stopped here and everywhere.” 

Across the country, people are calling on the government to respect local democracy and stop forcing fracking on communities.