Bosses demand shale gas re-think
Industry representatives say it is time for national debate to reopen discussion on extracting shale gas
BUSINESS leaders have signed up to a call to reopen debate on the extraction of shale gas in France.
The move comes shortly after President Hollande said he will halt exploration during his five-year term and announced refusals of seven oil company applications for drilling permits in the south, because they were thought to be looking for shale gas.
There are thought to be large deposits of the natural gas, which is locked in fine-grained shale rock deep underground.
However the only known extraction method (hydraulic fracturing “fracking”, involving forcing toxic chemicals at high pressure into the ground) is feared to be a pollution risk, allowing polluted water to get into water sources. It has been banned in France since last year.
Signed by 22 business chiefs, the open letter on the site of business newspaper Usine Nouvelle, says: “We, the representatives of the industrial community, of its leaders, executives, technicians and workers, wish for a reopening of the debate on France’s potential in terms of shale gas.”
France has a "duty" to evaluate its potential resources and has a "unique chance" to lead the way in developing "clean" ways of extracting the gas, they say. "Enlightened choices" can be made once everyone has the full facts about shale gas in France.
The appeal is signed by the head of business bosses’ representatives Medef, Laurence Parisot and her counterpart at the CGPME (for small businesses), Jean-François Roubaud as well as the head of the Group of Industrial Federations (representing 80% of industry), Pierre Gattaz and the president of energy firms body Uniden, Laurent Chabannes.
The leaders agree that the resource should not be extracted “at all costs”, but add: “We ask the president to open a major national, public debate on shale gas, involving all relevant parties – citizens, NGOs, industrialists and researchers.”
However opponents to shale gas exploration are also keeping up the pressure, with a day of action organised on Saturday with demonstrations in Paris and the Gard.
Photo: Krynica1 wikimedia commons
