The Guardian: Shale gas: a burning carbon issue
Ed Davey left the climate change talks in Doha this weekend on a high, unshaven after a sleepless night locked in tense negotiations but beaming with satisfaction. The UK had won warm praise from many developing countries for its leadership in offering finance to help them cut greenhouse gases and adapt to global warming. It was a diplomatic victory that Davey credited with "galvanising" the talks and paving the way to an agreement.
Just days after his return, Davey looks to have relinquished that leadership in favour of a doubtful bonanza from fossil fuels. The government's embrace of shale gas will not only help explode Britain's climate targets, but leave the UK exposed on the world diplomatic stage.
Shale gas is highly controversial, in part because of the fracking process. Fracking has already resulted in two small earthquakes in Lancashire, and the process uses vast quantities of water, involves pumping chemicals deep underground and can lead to methane leaks. This has led to serious concerns in the US, where fracking has boomed from Pennsylvania to Texas. Water supplies have been contaminated, toxic chemical cocktails used, and the industry attacked as operating under "wild west" conditions.