{"id":1258,"date":"2014-01-15T01:08:24","date_gmt":"2014-01-15T01:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kevinanderson.info\/blog\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2014-01-15T08:48:31","modified_gmt":"2014-01-15T08:48:31","slug":"uk-international-commitments-on-climate-change-are-incompatible-with-the-development-of-a-national-shale-gas-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kevinanderson.info\/blog\/uk-international-commitments-on-climate-change-are-incompatible-with-the-development-of-a-national-shale-gas-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"UK international commitments on climate change are incompatible with the development of a national shale gas industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jan. 2014 \u00a0This is a quick response to Total Oil\u2019s announcement of their investment in UK shale gas and in the Government\u2019s passionate support for the shale gas industry.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kevin Anderson1<\/sup> and Dr John Broderick2
\n<\/sup><\/strong>1<\/sup><\/strong> \u00a0Professor of energy and climate change
\nDeputy director of the Tyndall Centre for climate change research
\n2<\/sup><\/strong> <\/strong>\u00a0Research Fellow
\n…Tyndall Centre for climate change research<\/p>\n

Both are based in the School of mechanical, civil and aeronautical engineering at the University of Manchester<\/p>\n

_________<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>In May 2012 the UK Prime minister joined with other G8 leaders in reaffirming their respective national commitments to make their fair contribution to avoiding a 2\u00b0C rise in global temperatures (Camp David declaration). That is, the UK has committed to reduce its emissions of carbon dioxide, and hence its use of high carbon energy sources, in accordance with the science of climate change (the Copenhagen Accord). This weekend the Prime minister attributed the UK\u2019s recent flooding and damaging weather, and hence at least some of the costs, to climate change.<\/p>\n

In sharp contrast, just this morning the UK\u2019s Energy Minister, Michael Fallon, welcomed Total Oil\u2019s announcement that it is to invest in the development of the UK\u2019s shale gas industry, with the Prime minister noting how \u201cwe’re going all-out for shale. It will mean more jobs and opportunities for people, and economic security for our country.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The Prime minister\u2019s position (and the UK\u2019s international commitment) on climate change are incompatible with his enthusiasm for a shale gas industry in the UK \u2013 a point reiterated in the Government\u2019s own recent report on shale gas. As the Department for Energy and Climate Change\u2019s chief scientist stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a country brings any additional fossil fuel reserve into production, then in the absence of strong climate policies, we believe it is likely that this production would increase cumulative emissions in the long run. This increase would work against global efforts on climate change.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Shale gas is indisputably a high-carbon energy source. It is identical to natural gas, with 75% of its mass made up of carbon and consequently when combusted it emits large quantities of carbon dioxide. What is also indisputable is that there is a continued \u201cabsence of strong climate policies\u201d.<\/p>\n

The science of global warming, the maths of our emissions and our pledge to limit temperature increases to below a 2\u00b0C rise lead to the categorical conclusion that shale gas must remain in the ground if we are not to renege on our commitment to avoid \u201cdangerous climate change\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

The three arguments that are misused to support the industry are that shale gas:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n