Government totally clueless about fracking impact on jobs - FoE claim
The UK and Welsh Governments yesterday both confirmed [1], [2] that they have not undertaken any research to assess the likely impact of fracking on jobs in other sectors.
Serious concerns have been raised about the impact of unconventional gas exploitation on investment in the renewable energy sector [3].
Serious concerns have been raised about the impact of unconventional gas exploitation on investment in the renewable energy sector [3].
Concerns have also been raised that the industry could have negative impacts on other sectors, such as tourism, recreation and agriculture.
“Governments at all levels are blundering ahead with plans to make the UK the epicentre of European fracking. But while there’s plenty of hype from the Government and industry about potential jobs in fracking, neither the UK nor the Welsh Government has lifted a finger to find out what toll this destructive industry will take on jobs elsewhere”, said Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru.
“In their desperation to promote fracking, the UK and Welsh Governments appear to have overlooked the number of livelihoods fracking might destroy. They’re totally clueless about the negative impact of fracking on jobs, and the damage fracking will cause to the green economy.”
NOTES
1. Response by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to a Freedom of Information request from Friends of the Earth Cymru:
https://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/shale-gas-impacts-46396.pdf
“On 1 April Friends of the Earth Cymru requested the following information from the Department of Energy and Climate Change:
“Any reports/research work undertaken or commissioned by the UK Government for the impacts of the shale gas industry on other sectors or industries (for example, tourism, recreation and renewable energy)”.
On 1 May we received the following response:
“After searching through our paper and electronic records I have determined that the Department has no information relevant to your request.
However, perhaps this study, published recently by the industry, will be of assistance to you: http://www.ukoog.org.uk/images/ukoog/pdfs/Getting_ready_for_UK_shale2_gas_FINAL2022.04.14.pdf”.
2. Response by the Welsh Government to a Freedom of Information request from Friends of the Earth Cymru: https://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/shale-gas-impacts-wales-46397.pdf
On 1 April Friends of the Earth Cymru requested the following information from the Welsh Government:
“Any reports undertaken or commissioned by the Welsh Government for the impacts of the shale gas industry on other sectors (like tourism, agriculture and renewable energy and so on)”.
On 1 May we received the following response:
“I have not found any information that meets these criteria. However, I should like to refer you to the letter you received from the First Minister, dated 3 April 2014, on this subject".
The letter from the First Minister dated 3 April 2014 stated:
"We are committed to commissioning a report on the benefits and economic disbenefits of unconventional gas developments in Wales".
The only recently announced commission (dated 9 April 2014) does not refer to employment impacts in other sectors: http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/search/show/Search_View.aspx?id=APR030201
3. See Professor Paul Stevens’ written evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee: http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Energy,%20Environment%20and%20Development/0111pment_stevens.pdf.
“A related problem concerns investments in renewables. There is general agreement that the world must move to a low carbon economy if climate change is to be managed. Among other things, this requires much greater investment in renewables. In a world where there is the serious possibility of cheap, relatively low carbon gas which could be seen as a ‘transition fuel’, who will commit large sums of money to expensive renewables to lower carbon emissions? Again, if shale gas fails to deliver, it condemns us to a higher carbon future than would otherwise have been the case”.
Also http://www.cirmagazine.com/cir/Governments-fixation-with-shale-could-undermine-renewables-investment.php
“Governments at all levels are blundering ahead with plans to make the UK the epicentre of European fracking. But while there’s plenty of hype from the Government and industry about potential jobs in fracking, neither the UK nor the Welsh Government has lifted a finger to find out what toll this destructive industry will take on jobs elsewhere”, said Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru.
“In their desperation to promote fracking, the UK and Welsh Governments appear to have overlooked the number of livelihoods fracking might destroy. They’re totally clueless about the negative impact of fracking on jobs, and the damage fracking will cause to the green economy.”
NOTES
1. Response by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to a Freedom of Information request from Friends of the Earth Cymru:
https://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/shale-gas-impacts-46396.pdf
“On 1 April Friends of the Earth Cymru requested the following information from the Department of Energy and Climate Change:
“Any reports/research work undertaken or commissioned by the UK Government for the impacts of the shale gas industry on other sectors or industries (for example, tourism, recreation and renewable energy)”.
On 1 May we received the following response:
“After searching through our paper and electronic records I have determined that the Department has no information relevant to your request.
However, perhaps this study, published recently by the industry, will be of assistance to you: http://www.ukoog.org.uk/images/ukoog/pdfs/Getting_ready_for_UK_shale2_gas_FINAL2022.04.14.pdf”.
2. Response by the Welsh Government to a Freedom of Information request from Friends of the Earth Cymru: https://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/shale-gas-impacts-wales-46397.pdf
On 1 April Friends of the Earth Cymru requested the following information from the Welsh Government:
“Any reports undertaken or commissioned by the Welsh Government for the impacts of the shale gas industry on other sectors (like tourism, agriculture and renewable energy and so on)”.
On 1 May we received the following response:
“I have not found any information that meets these criteria. However, I should like to refer you to the letter you received from the First Minister, dated 3 April 2014, on this subject".
The letter from the First Minister dated 3 April 2014 stated:
"We are committed to commissioning a report on the benefits and economic disbenefits of unconventional gas developments in Wales".
The only recently announced commission (dated 9 April 2014) does not refer to employment impacts in other sectors: http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/search/show/Search_View.aspx?id=APR030201
3. See Professor Paul Stevens’ written evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee: http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Energy,%20Environment%20and%20Development/0111pment_stevens.pdf.
“A related problem concerns investments in renewables. There is general agreement that the world must move to a low carbon economy if climate change is to be managed. Among other things, this requires much greater investment in renewables. In a world where there is the serious possibility of cheap, relatively low carbon gas which could be seen as a ‘transition fuel’, who will commit large sums of money to expensive renewables to lower carbon emissions? Again, if shale gas fails to deliver, it condemns us to a higher carbon future than would otherwise have been the case”.
Also http://www.cirmagazine.com/cir/Governments-fixation-with-shale-could-undermine-renewables-investment.php
Comments