A Call for a Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing for Shale Gas in the UK

Responsible department: Department for Energy and Climate Change

The oil and gas industry is seeking to exploit UK onshore gas reserves trapped in shale rock and coal beds requiring environmentally damaging and risky techniques, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking). We, the signatories of this petition, call on the coalition government in Westminster, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Scottish Parliament to impose a moratorium, demanded by environmental groups and geology experts in the field, on shale gas, and on the related coal bed methane extraction industry, at least until the results of studies here, in other countries in Europe and in the US have been properly evaluated. Such moratoria are already in place in, North Rhine Westphalia (Germany), New York State, New Jersey and a complete ban has been imposed in France.