Net Zero Watch today expressed dismay and profound regret that the incoming Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has caved in to pressure from eco-activists and the green wing of his own party, and reinstated the ‘ban’ on shale gas exploration in England.
During his recent conservative leadership campaign, the new Prime Minister repeatedly promised to lift the fracking moratorium but has now reneged on his pledge. [bold, links added]
He had the option of a bold decision to support domestic shale gas production, potentially mitigating the energy crisis and the UK’s exposure to expensive gas imports.
Refusing this option at a time of a severe energy cost and cost of living crisis is so foolish as to amount to irresponsibility, and bodes ill for the rest of his premiership.
By siding with the increasingly irrational “de-growth” eco-movement inside and outside his own party, Mr. Sunak has harmed the national interest.
Those domestic and international investors waiting to develop Britain’s shale gas will undoubtedly be astonished at the Government’s decision, but they know that they must now wait for sanity to return to Westminster.
The PM’s limp and ill-advised decision will only defer and make more acute and distressed the inevitable return to high-quality energy sources, such as fossil fuels.
The future of natural gas, including shale gas, remains bright because it is an integral part of any rational and genuinely sustainable attempt to decarbonize the economy.
No one should be under any illusion that thermodynamically incompetent and unreliable sources, such as wind and solar, can be an adequate substitute.
Dr. John Constable, Net Zero Watch’s energy director, said:
“Mr. Sunak’s first energy policy decision is a blunder; without cheap energy from fossil fuels such as shale gas, there is no hope of stabilizing the British economy, let alone returning it to healthy growth. On his first day in office, he has made a grave mistake.”
I hope the Brits like freezing.
Why did they get this knucklehead in as their P.M. in the first place he must have the attention span of a Housefly
Well, unfortunately, it’s time for most western democracies to spend some time in the “Hurt Locker.” When you allow drama & theater majors to dictate your energy policies, you get an ENERGY CRISIS. The same pattern is developing (here) in the U.S. Rather than having an intelligent, fully informed & rational debate based on energy imperatives, you get consumed with BLIND ideology. Rather than taking a step back and understanding that expensive, intermittent (dilute) energy sources such as wind & solar are the REASON for lack of dispatchable electricity & increasing grid failures, know nothing politicians, agency bureaucrats along with environmental activists & media enablers continue down the road to a DEAD END. If this winter does not provide sufficient evidence to “kick off” a legitimate energy policy discussion, then I fear the worldwidew energy shortages & consequent turmoil will only get worse. As far as the U.S, our first chance to start reversing the “tide” of ongoing energy policy LUNACY begins on Nov. 8. As long as this current ideological “crew” has the levers of power, this will only go in one direction…downward. Make your choices on your ballots carefully. Energy POVERTY is not a good deal, regardless what the “Green Dealers” tell you…