BBC: Fracking support from government climate change adviser

The chancellor announced new financial support for fracking last week

Britain should push ahead with fracking, the chairman of the government's advisory body on climate change has said.

Lord Deben said exploiting Britain's shale gas reserves would provide a secure source of energy for decades without wrecking the environment.

Speaking to the Times, he dismissed environmental concerns raised by "people on the green end".

Greenpeace says fracking is harmful and would fail to reduce energy bills.

Lord Deben - who as John Gummer was environment secretary under John Major - chairs the Committee on Climate Change, which was set up in 2008 to advise the government on emissions and analyse climate change science, economics and policy.

"It just isn't true that fracking is going to destroy the environment and the world is going to come to an end if you frack," he said.  MORE