The Government has unveiled its strategy to make the “best use of lower cost gas”, but was immediately criticised for undermining investment, jobs and efforts to cut carbon emissions.
As part of efforts to support new supplies, an Office for Unconventional Gas will be set up to ensure a “simplified and streamlined regulatory process” for exploiting shale gas in the UK through the controversial method of “fracking”.
The Government is also consulting on tax breaks for the unconventional fossil fuel, which has been widely exploited in the US, leading to falling gas prices, but which has raised concerns over water pollution and small-scale earthquakes.
There are also fears that widespread use of shale gas wells will harm the look of the UK countryside, damage tourism