UK PM Intervenes Again in Favour of Shale Gas Developments

The UK Prime Minister unequivocally confirmed its endorsement of shale gas, saying that ‘without it, we could lose ground in the tough global race.’ 

‘As with any advance in technology, fracking – drilling for so-called “unconventional” gas – has rightly drawn scrutiny. But a lot of myths have also sprung up. So today I want to set out why I support it – and deal with the worst of the myths at the same time,’ wrote PM David Cameron in an editorial in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper on Monday.

According to Cameron, shale gas can drive energy bills down, with positive consequences for families and businesses, ‘who are struggling with the high costs of energy.’ The Prime Minister argued in favour of shale gas, highlighting that fracking would create jobs in Britain and bring money to local neighbourhoods.

In late June, the UK government announced a series of measures to assist the development of the shale gas industry, but the Environment Agency has recently indicated that the permitting process might be longer than expected.