13 July 2017

London’s Green MEP has pledged to oppose any attempt to bring fracking in London, following reports that an energy company is applying to begin exploring opportunities in Willesden. [1]

​​Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, says:

​​“There is no place for fracking in our city. London is already in the midst of a public health emergency, whereby 9,000 people die prematurely each year as a result of breathing our toxic air. This proposal to begin drilling for shale gas in Brent would be catastrophic for the local area, which already exceeds the EU’s legal clean air limits.

Brent’s poor air quality is largely caused by road transport, construction and local energy generation. [2] Introducing fracking would simply amplify each of these issues, adding to the problem instead of helping to resolve it.

The potential consequences of fracking – including, noise pollution and risks to drinking water supplies – make it unsuitable for use anywhere in the UK. However, the detrimental impact could be much greater in a diverse and highly-populated city such as London, one of the world’s most water-stressed cities.

While the UK Government may be completely ambivalent to the dangers posed by fracking, Greens will not sit back while prospectors dig up our land. Alongside my colleagues, I will oppose any attempt to extract shale gas from under Londoners’ feet.”

​ENDS

Notes:

[1] http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/fracking-could-begin-in-london-after-multimillion-natural-gas-find-a3584726.html​

[2] http://democracy.brent.gov.uk/documents/s47267/Air%20Quality%20Action%20Plan%202017-2022%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf