Public Service Europe: Europe 'dithering' over joining shale gas revolution

The blockage of shale gas exploration has led to a new rush to coal and could leave Europe even more reliant on Russia for its energy needs – but there are signs that the anti-shale campaign is losing momentum, says think-tank

European countries may soon have to import shale gas from Russia if the green energy lobby has its way. The prospect of even deeper reliance on Russian gas together with a new rush to coal burning may be the unintended yet inevitable consequence of the ongoing opposition by green campaigners and policy-makers to domestic European shale development. Just as the German phase-out of nuclear energy production has resulted in Germany's increased imports of French and Czech nuclear energy, Europe's blockage of shale exploration is providing Russia with the perfect reason to intensify its own shale extraction.  MORE