Shale gas is promoted as a safe and clean energy source that can help Europe increase its energy security and provide an affordable transition to a low carbon economy. The US experience, however, has shown what serious environmental and human health concerns are related to fracking. Chief among these are threats to groundwater quality, concerns about how much water is needed, worries over fracking’s impacts on air quality, its causing of earthquakes and its potential impact on climate change.
This report by Friends of the Earth Europe examines some of the uncertainties of shale gas, including the gaps in existing EU legal and regulatory framework and questioning how shale gas can fit with the EU’s commitment to a low carbon economy, the cost pressures, and the influence of the shale gas lobby. The report argues that unconventional fossil fuels such as shale gas will increase our dependency on fossil fuels and also slow down the development of renewables and urgently needed investments in energy efficiency. Given the presented evidence and the significant related risks to fracking, the report calls for an EU-wide moratorium on shale gas.
| Unconventional and Unwanted: The Case Against Shale Gas | |
| Editor | Friends of the Earth Europe, Heinrich Böll Foundation |
| Place of publication | Berlin |
| Date of publication | February 2013 |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | - |
| Service charge | Free of charge |
Table of contents
Introduction1 Shale gas in Europe
1.1 What is shale gas, and what is fracking?
1.2 The global and EU potential of shale gas
1.3 What’s behind the drive for shale?
1.4 Where is shale gas being developed in Europe?
1.5 Fossil fule lock-in
2 The impacts of shale gas extraction
2.1 Climate impacts
2.2 Impacts on renewable energy and energy efficiency investments
2.3 Environmental and health impacts
2.4 What do we know about the chemical content of fracking fluids?
2.5 Land contamination and land use
2.6 Effects on the population
2.7 Air pollution
2.8 Earthquakes and vibrations
3 Setting the rules for shale gas – is the EU prepared?
3.1 Europe seeks to get a grip on shale gas
3.2 How does existing EU legislation measure up to shale gas challenges?
3.3 Moving the EU policy framework forward
3.4 Dialogue
4 Setting a development example?
4.1 A global resource
4.2 The increased risks of environmental and health damage in developing countries
5 How communities and campaigners are resisting shale gas
5.1 Argentina
5.2 Austria
5.3 Bulgaria
5.4 Czech Republic
5.5 France
5.6 Germany
5.7 The Netherlands
5.8 Poland
5.9 Romania
5.10 South Africa
5.11 Sweden
5.12 UK
5.13 Ukraine
6 Conclusion – Demands and policy recommendations
7 References