To frack or not to frack?

At the outset of this blog, I declared my agnosticism regarding fracking. The idea of energy independence and economic good times are seductive, especially with my country slowly drifting into the Atlantic following its departure from the European Union. On the other hand, anthropogenic climate change. But on the other hand, domestic gas production might get us off of coal. But on the other hand, the possibility of environmental damage from badly regulated fracking. But… I’ve run out of hands. So how do I feel on the matter now?

Total nihilism. I’ve seen scientific literature, popular publications and some less popular ones, falling vehemently on either side of the debate.  A few voices did a fair job of casting things in a more neutral tone, but it’s virtually impossible not to be deeply cynicised (if that wasn’t previously a word, I feel like it needs to be) by the whole debate.

Even if we imagine that fracking is entirely without risk, with a rigorous, evidence based regulatory underpinning, there is still the issue that we’re using a fossil fuel. I don’t put much stock in the notion that it’s “less evil” than the alternative. The alternative ought to be renewables, but for whatever reason there just doesn’t seem to be a political will to pursue that avenue. I would previously have assumed that it was a response to the “not in my back yard” banners which are aggressively thrust forth when someone even looks like they might be thinking about wind farms, but the same thing is happening with fracking, and politicians are doing everything they can to get the drills going, shy of winding the cranks themselves.

What’s the best outcome given the current trajectory? Assuming fracking does go ahead, I sincerely hope that the optimists are proven correct. I hope that no ecological disasters ensue, requiring cunning politicking to explain as being the actions of “one rogue company”, and that I never again have to hear that ghastly political refrain that “lessons were learned”. Most of the associated risks which I’ve encountered, such as groundwater contamination or earthquakes, can be mitigated if adequate care is taken (especially if the drilling companies hire good Geologists, not that I have a vested interest or anything), so perhaps everything will turn out for the best. It generally does, doesn’t it? I mean, it does sometimes, doesn’t it?