The government has proposed tax breaks for shale gas exploration in the UK. What are the repercussions of this policy?
In last week’s poll, we asked about the repercussions of the government’s proposed tax breaks on shale gas exploration and production. The largest proportion of respondents were were shale fracking supporters: 33 per cent said that the tax breaks would unlocking investment in shale gas. The next-largest were in favour of wider use of this type of policy: 31 per cent said there should be more tax breaks to encourage investment in green technologies. Remaining respondents were more cautious about shale gas — 22 per cent said that tapping this resource wasn’t in line with EU targets for carbon emissions reduction, while 14 per cent said that the tax breaks were essentially useless because there isn’t enough shale gas in the UK to meet demand.
Do you agree with these conclusions? Is UK fracking likely to be fruitful, or frightful? Is enough being done to allay environmental concerns? Should this policy have been applied to low-carbon technologies first? Let us know below.
the so called green movement will use every bit of spin they can muster to stifle real debate shale is safe 2million wells fracked over the last 50 years including many in the uk.british companys will be at ahuge disadvantage if they relie on expensive renewables and the british public will have a dramatic fall in standard of living. when the unemployment rate soars as our competitors exploite cheap green energy {gas}} i wonder what our so called green crusaders say to the millions who will be plunged into destitution
Fracking – if it is safe, do it and support it with tax breaks. Low-carbon technologies – what, like wind-farms? – no more, no less support than any other. Just get on with it before the lights go out. As for EU Carbon-emission targets – we should not be held to ransom by artificial and non-fact based greenery. If global warming has been stalled for the past 15 years, then the general cyclic nature of climate is just showing itself again. Between every pair of ice-ages there needs to be some warming.
More research needs to be undertaken on this as currently there are many environmental concerns, there seems to be no clear guidance as to where and when this can occur and what impact will be felt in the locality and future problems associated with pumping millions of gallons of toxic chemicals underground, will this leach out over time? will these contaminate water sources? cause sink holes to appear? this seems to be the case in the USA with all large shale gas companies in complete denial, I would be mortified if this were to happen in the UK.
This maybe a energy source of the future, whats the rush, oh yea executives/banks/governments want to get paid!
When the lights go out Peter don’t complain to me. I am all for fracking the shale now, at least it may give us time to set up a better power system.
Hi,
On Wednesday 14th November, we are organising a shale gas fracking debate. I aim to show students the advantages and disavantages of shale fracking. We have representatives from the NUS and People & Planet coming to be on the debate panel.
The debate will be happening at 6pm in Café Mondial (located in the Student’s Union) on Reading University Whiteknights campus. It will be chaired by a member of the Debate Society who will give a brief outline of shale fracking before the debate begins. After that each speaker will get 5 minutes to open their case. Then the floor will be opened to questions from the audience.
We are still looking for panelist who are ‘For’ shale fracking. If anyone is interested, please email me on l.e.kane@student.reading.ac.uk.
Many thanks,
Laura Kane
Representative from Reading University Student’s Union
Frack away! NOW!
Government energy policy in the UK is somewhere between a rabidly-green cuckoo land and non-existant.
If you have have a house with a chimney then get it re-commissioned asap and get a wood/solid-fuel burner in there. It’s the only way you can guarantee to be warm after 2020. And stockpile candles too if you want to read after sunset.
The desire for 17pc of electricity to come from wind by 2020 won’t be much use for powering electric cars, Kindles, 4G networks, etc., when we get a high pressure over the country and it’s attendant lack of wind.