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MPs brand fracking ‘incompatible’ with UK climate targets

January 26, 2015

MPs brand fracking ‘incompatible’ with UK climate targets

Fracking should be banned because it is incompatible with the UK‘s climate targets, according to the cross-party House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC).

The  committee’s report has been rushed out in advance of a series of parliamentary votes this afternoon on the government’s  Infrastructure Bill. Ten MPs have tabled an  amendment to the bill that would ban fracking “in order to reduce the risk of carbon budgets being breached”.

This amendment also has cross-party support: it is backed by former Conservative environment secretary  Caroline Spelman along with two other Conservatives, five Labour MPs and one each for the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.

The Labour Party says it will block UK fracking unless the government agrees to a series of environmental conditions set out in a separate amendment to the Infrastructure Bill.

The committee report and parliamentary votes come at a crucial time for the nascent UK shale gas industry. It is hoping to resume exploration activities, which have been on hold since causing earth tremors in 2011.

Last week,  Lancashire council’s planning department said exploratory fracking at two sites should not go ahead, citing concerns over noise and traffic. The council’s planning committee was due to have voted on the plans this week until developer  Cuadrilla asked for more time.

Carbon Brief takes you through the EAC‘s conclusions on fracking and the climate, and assesses the evidence behind its findings.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

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