Commenting on reports today that George Osborne is to approve the construction of up to 30 gas-fired power stations as part of tomorrow's Autumn Statement, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director Andy Atkins said:

“The Chancellor’s reckless dash for gas will send the nation speeding in the wrong direction.

“Rocketing gas prices are the main reason our fuel prices have soared – and experts predict they will carry on rising.

“Building more gas-fired power stations will condemn households to increasingly expensive fuel bills, drive away investment in clean power and undermine UK targets for tackling climate change.

“A strong economy and protecting the environment should go hand-in-hand, but the Chancellor’s short-term agenda threatens to wreck them both.

“It’s time to take the nation’s foot off the gas and fast-track investment in clean British energy and cutting energy waste - and build a power system that people and the planet can afford.”

·         A new Friends of the Earth briefing reveals George Osborne has already given a number of fossil fuel tax breaks – and more are in the pipeline: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/tax_breaks.pdf  

·         A Friends of the Earth briefing on how the Chancellor turned his back on going green: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/retoxified.pdf

·        Shale gas and fracking - 10 key questions the Government must answer: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/fracking_10_questions.pdf