A response to RICHARD DRAX MP: Fracking on the agenda
In 2006 Lord Stern – the author of the Treasury’s report into the economics of climate change maintained that extracting fossil fuels from the ground is simply unsustainable. He went on to state that spending yet more billions on this extraction made absolutely no sense. Whatever the anti global warming lobby might say we should not ignore the evidence that fossil fuels are playing a significant role in heating up the planet.
The report went on to state that if the planet was to avoid an economic catastrophe then it would have to heed the warnings by climate scientists from across the globe. Some have concluded that ignoring the implications would make the 2008 crash look like chicken feed. We have to dramatically alter our energy policy. This would mean releasing no more than 565 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GrCO2) into the atmosphere. Yet the quantity of carbon dioxide in the proven reserves of the biggest fossil fuel companies – about 2795 gigatonnes of GrCO2 – already comes to five times that.
The issue now is not the science however; it is persuading those with power and vested interests that the long term survival of multiple species on this planet, including humanity, has to be more important than their investment portfolios. Thus we come to ‘fracking’. This method involves extracting gas using ‘high-pressure water pumped into underground shale beds’. It has been judged by many politicians and big business as a success in the United States (although much more critically by environmentalists) and has avoided popular demonstrations due to having millions of square miles of low population density that are able to keep it out of sight and mind. Not something the UK can boast. The geological impact is unknown and could be very precarious in the longer term. Mr Drax appears not to be concerned but there are thankfully many who are. Anyone who has children should stir to action to find alternative energy sources that have no detrimental health or environmental impact. Why? Because that is what being a parent is all about. We are constantly told to perceive the economy as analogous to the family. Well now those sanctimonious deceivers should be made to remain consistent.
Yet again Mr Drax uses the corporate platform provided by Mr Chummy Wummy at the Echo to extract his own one sided perspective that suits his own narrow understanding of pretty much anything. Mr Drax – the energy companies don’t give a **** about us. They only care that we consume and boost their profits. Surely he must see this? They keep thousands of gigatonnes in reserve! Yet Mr Drax wants us to believe that ‘…in March, we were six hours away from running out of gas… ’ (this quote was taken from his blog as curiously it was not included in the Echo article). Where is your evidence Mr Drax? It is pure sophistry and yet again something that you are not alien to i.e. being anti democratic.
Mr Drax draws his mumbo jumbo to an end by stating that ‘But, rather than deal with this potential crisis, the Energy Bill increases the subsidies for wind-farms and solar panels to £7.6 billion a year. A recent House of Commons library report suggested that such subsidies have put 50,000 Britons into ‘fuel poverty’, defined as spending a tenth of household income on energy.’ Here is the crux. His hatred of alternative energy being subsidised by the government. Never mind the tens of billions spent on nuclear power or the oil industry or the clean ups after wildlife and local economic catastrophes just as long as we don’t spend tax payers money on wind energy and solar power. Why? Well I will guess it has to do with aesthetics over the long term survival of humanity. It does not matter what the maggots are up to just as long he considers the garden to look rosy. Short term nihilistic policy at the expense of? Us as usual!
Flora the Implorer
