*Lucas: “To have any realistic chance of keeping global warming to well under 2 degrees we need to ban fracking in the UK”
* Scott Cato “If the UK government is really committed to keeping its end of the Paris deal, it must rethink its support for fracking and invest in safe, clean, renewable energy instead.”
The decision by MPs to sanction fracking under national parks, just days after an agreement was reached at the Paris climate change talks, has been branded as “disappointing” and ineffective in lowering energy bills.
Green Party politicians Caroline Lucas and Molly Scott Cato expressed their dismay at the newly approved regulations which were voted in by 298 to 261 votes.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion says she’ll continue to campaign against fracking and for a UK-wide ban.
Lucas said:
“If the government is to match its rhetoric on the climate deal struck in Paris then ministers must urgently rethink their entire approach to energy policy. To have any realistic chance of keeping global warming to well under 2 degrees we need to ban fracking in the UK.
“That’s why the decision to allow drilling under protected areas as well as everywhere else is so deeply disappointing. Not only does fracking fly in the face of the climate science but mounting evidence suggests it won’t lower bills.”
“I know the people across Sussex will continue to campaign against fracking – and I look forward to working with them in their fight.”
Molly Scott Cato, MEP for South West England highlighted the potential risk to tourism in her constituency and wants the government to focus on renewable energy in order to meet its Paris agreement obligations.
Scott Cato MEP said:
“In the South West, we have a number of areas that are protected by national and, in some cases, international law. It is also a region that relies heavily on tourism, so this decision could prove extremely costly not just for our precious environment and landscapes but also for our rural economy.
“The government knows that they won the last election because of the vote in the South West. It is for all of us to remind them that they can lose the next one here too, especially if hugely unpopular fracking goes ahead in our beautiful region.
“It is of particular concern that this decision has been sneaked through just ahead of the Christmas recess and without a proper debate in Parliament, as the government pursues its dangerous and irresponsible dash for gas.
“In is incredible that this decision comes just days after signing a ground-breaking climate change agreement in Paris. Driving forwards a new fossil fuel industry in the UK is simply not compatible with a pledge to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees and decarbonise our economy. If the UK government is really committed to keeping its end of the Paris deal, it must rethink its support for fracking and invest in safe, clean, renewable energy instead."
ENDS