Dependence on fossil fuels seems to be hard wired into capitalism in an almost addictive way. The approach of Peak Oil, and the depletion of more accessible resources, mean that capitalism is exploiting ever more extreme fossil fuel reservoirs. Tar sands is probably the best known of these, but there are other too. Hydraulic Fracking is a means of removing shale gas, which is trapped in rock and would therefore be otherwise inaccessible, by cracking the rock using a pressurised fluid. Fracking is being used extensively in the United States and is now being trialled in Britain as well, as part of what is becoming an increasing "Dash for Gas". People may have heard about the second report commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and issued on April 17 into the earthquakes caused by the fracking carried out by Cuadrilla in the Blackpool area. The report accepts that it is likely that the seismic activity was caused by the drilling of the test wells, but then goes on to say that its fine for the company to resume work - with one or two new pieces of monitoring put in place. Activists point out a number of problems with the report. On the question of earthquakes themselves, there has been evidence since 1967 that fuel injection can cause earthquakes (www.sciencemag.org/ content/161/3848/1301.short). There is extensive evidence of much larger scale earthquakes in the US and other areas of the world (notably Uzbekistan) related to gas development. The report ignores the fact that even moderate seismic activity can cause major damage to sensitive infrastructure, such as railway lines and nuclear power stations. And one of the major concerns is that earthquakes can cause subsurface damage to wells causing them to leak. But the question of earthquakes is only one of problems about fracking. Other major concerns expressed by anti-fracking activists in Britain and internationally include ground water contamination, severe methane leakage, air pollution, accelerated climate change and the production of potentially radioactive waste. (http://www.environmentalleader. com/2011/03/01/report-frackings-radioactive-wastewater-discharged-into-drinkingwater-supplies/ These dangers are largely a result of the fact that the pressurised fluid used in the fracking process contains lots of chemicals - and there is no control over what is being used - and at the same time rips out of the earth not only the substance that it is targeting, but also other toxic materials, such as arsenic and in some cases radioactive substances. And fracking for shale gas is not the only form of extreme energy threatening the environment in Britain. There is also another similar source, coalbed methane extraction, for which planning applications are also being granted across swathes of the country. Given that methane is one of the most polluting green house gases the risk should be obvious. There is a third technology, underground coal gasification for wjich no planning applications have currently been granted (or as far as we know applied for.) It involves a similar technology to fracking but also involves the injection of oxygen and igniting and partially burning coal seams underground in order to produce a synthetic gas. In terms of reserves in Britain, estimates are that there are 150 bcm of shale gas, 290bcm of coal bed methane and 1676bcm of underground reserves which could be gasified. The first two technologies are already developing remarkably fast across Britain. Cuadrilla for example has had approved planning applications for 5 sites in Lancashire where they say they want to drill 800 wells and for one site near Balcombe in West Sussex. And they are only one of a number of similar companies operating similar schemes with hot spots across Scotland, South Wales Cheshire, Staffordshire and Kent (yes you are right - most of these areas are former mining Local groups campaigning on these issues already exist in virtually every area where the polluters are doing their exploration. Frack off (http://frack-off.org.uk/) provide masses of information about the dangers
29 of fracking and other forms of extreme energy. Activists from the Campaign against Climate Change, as well as from other environmental groups, such as Friends of the Earth, have been increasingly concerned by these issues as well. Over a hundred activists came together in Manchester on March 17 to discuss these issues and agreed to set up a new anti-fracking network. As well as exposing the dangers of fracking itself, campaigners are hoping to go on the offensive in response to the argument that we need to go down this road. Fracking is part of the refusal by corporations and most politicians to face up to the reality of man-made climate change. What people need is not to search for more polluting, more expensive forms of energy but to significantly reduce the energy we use -which could only come about through a fundamental system change. Just think about the resources we waste in advertising for example - a whole massive consumption of energy and other resources to produce more consumption. Then there is the insanity of transport which has become increasingly privatised into cars and airplanes for lack of cheap - or even free - public transport going where we need to go when we need to go there. In terms of the energy we do need to use, we need massive investment in real renewables (from which I not only exclude nuclear power, but also other forms of greenwash, such as biofuels. It is good to see links from Biofuel watch on the As the Climate Caravan prepares to set off across Britain during June, in the North West in particular, links will be made between the fight for climate jobs and opposition to fracking. This is an important understanding in these days when unemployment is rising, especially amongst young people and when only a small proportion of the cuts have so far been implemented. The spectre of unemployment will be a central issue in highly deprived former mining areas, so by linking the fight to defend the environment with a fight to create green jobs, environmental campaigners are likely to win wider You can get involved in the antifracking network by going to: [email protected] net and/or http://www.facebook.com/ groups/370275796336658/ You can sign the petition against fracking at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ petitions/5927
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