To frack or not: catastrophe or prosperity for Wales

6 March 2013

Fracking, underground coal gasification and coal bed methane could lead to 'catastrophe' for Wales and the planet, the National Assembly's Sustainability Committee will hear tomorrow (Thursday 7 March). The Committee is examining unconventional gas as a result of an anti-fracking petition submitted by Friends of the Earth Cymru that attracted more than 1,000 signatures [1].

According to Friends of the Earth Cymru, introducing a moratorium on unconventional gas, and instead focusing on renewable energy, could be the beginning of a prosperous and sustainable future for Wales.

Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, will tell the Assembly Committee:

"The global authority on energy, The International Energy Agency, has described our continuing rush to exploit more and more new sources of fossil fuels as catastrophic for the planet [2]. But renewable energy can offer a prosperous and sustainable future, powering Wales and providing jobs for hundreds of years to come.

"To protect Wales from climate catastrophe we must impose a moratorium on unconventional gas extraction, as has already happened elsewhere in Europe [3]. And we should move as swiftly as possible to a Wales powered by 100% renewable energy, providing tens of thousands of jobs in the booming green economy."

NOTES

1. Press release: Environment Minister could protect Wales from fracking
2. International Energy Agency
3. The governments of Bulgaria and France have introduced a moratorium on fracking

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577