To frack or not to frack? The question for Wales

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.”

1. http://www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/press_releases/Environment_Minister_could_protect_Wales_from_fracking_021012.html
2. International Energy Agency http://www.iea.org/publications/worldenergyoutlook/pressmedia/quotes/7/
3. The governments of Bulgaria and France have introduced a moratorium on fracking.