little to win over politicians concerned about the safety of fracking
(“Ineos chief’s challenge: Visit US and see the success of fracking”, The
Herald, September 28). Further still, it will have done nothing to
alleviate the concerns of the growing number of communities, like those
around the Falkirk area, opposed to onshore and near-shore unconventional
oil and gas development.
The inability of the so-called Dragon ship to dock in Scotland because of
high winds was a form of poetic justice that showed the magnificent wind
energy potential in Scotland. Unfortunately, as well as shale gas, the ship
also brought with it a renewed and deliberate campaign for fracking to be
given the go ahead.
Now is the time to be investing in clean, renewable energy sources, not
digging for more fossil fuels. It was reported that on one windy day last
month, wind turbines covered all of our electricity needs and we already
know that Scotland is “the undisputed world leader” in tidal energy.
We already have much more gas and oil than we can afford to burn if we are
to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global climate change and
fracking comes with the added risk of leakage of methane. The truth is, we
cannot say for certain that fracking is safe. As Jim Ratcliffe says
himself, “however hard you try, things go wrong”.
The Scottish Government must legislate for an outright ban on fracking
because its vague moratorium policy is clearly giving hope to fossil fuel
giants intent on digging up Scotland.
Mark Ruskell MSP,
Scottish Greens climate, energy and environment spokesperson,
The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
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