protest in front of the Centennial Hall in Wroclaw, Poland
where Transportation, Telecommunications and
Energy Council (TTE - Energy) informal session was taking place; protesters handed a letter (see below) to the council chairman demanding revision of the EU energy strategy and emphasizing negative impact on people and the environment of hydraulic fracking in shale gas exploitation
Conference on the Problem of Hydraulic Fracturing of Shale Gas in Europe
with José Bové, Deputy Chair of the Agriculture Committee of European
Parliament
19 - 20 September, Wroclaw, Poland
The current EU regulatory framework concerning hydraulic fracturing, which
is the core element in shale gas and tight oil extraction, has a number of
gaps. The Environmental Impact Assessments should be obligatory for any
hydraulic fracturing process. to be carried out on hydraulic fracturing
activities in hydrocarbon extraction. Also the coverage of the water
framework Directive should be re-assessed with special focus on fracturing
activities and their possible impacts on surface water.
This is a parallel conference to Transportation, Telecommunications and
Energy Council (TTE - Energy) informal session, Wroclaw, Poland. The energy
policy, one of the main priorities of the Polish Presidency, will be the
theme of this Council Meeting. A debate on external energy policy will be
the main objective of the meeting.
The Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) is composed of
the EU ministers responsible for transport, telecommunications or energy,
depending on the topics to be discussed. The TTE Council deals with matters
ranging from transport safety to mobile communications and energy security.
The current EU regulatory framework concerning hydraulic fracturing, which
is the core element in shale gas and tight oil extraction, has a number of
gaps. The Environmental Impact Assessments should be obligatory for any
hydraulic fracturing process. to be carried out on hydraulic fracturing
activities in hydrocarbon extraction. Also the coverage of the water
framework Directive should be re-assessed with special focus on fracturing
activities and their possible impacts on surface water.
with José Bové, Deputy Chair of the Agriculture Committee of European
Parliament
19 - 20 September, Wroclaw, Poland
The current EU regulatory framework concerning hydraulic fracturing, which
is the core element in shale gas and tight oil extraction, has a number of
gaps. The Environmental Impact Assessments should be obligatory for any
hydraulic fracturing process. to be carried out on hydraulic fracturing
activities in hydrocarbon extraction. Also the coverage of the water
framework Directive should be re-assessed with special focus on fracturing
activities and their possible impacts on surface water.
This is a parallel conference to Transportation, Telecommunications and
Energy Council (TTE - Energy) informal session, Wroclaw, Poland. The energy
policy, one of the main priorities of the Polish Presidency, will be the
theme of this Council Meeting. A debate on external energy policy will be
the main objective of the meeting.
The Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) is composed of
the EU ministers responsible for transport, telecommunications or energy,
depending on the topics to be discussed. The TTE Council deals with matters
ranging from transport safety to mobile communications and energy security.
The current EU regulatory framework concerning hydraulic fracturing, which
is the core element in shale gas and tight oil extraction, has a number of
gaps. The Environmental Impact Assessments should be obligatory for any
hydraulic fracturing process. to be carried out on hydraulic fracturing
activities in hydrocarbon extraction. Also the coverage of the water
framework Directive should be re-assessed with special focus on fracturing
activities and their possible impacts on surface water.
To the European Council
To the European Commission
Wroclaw, 20 of September 2011
European union needs to define a common policy which would guarantee a reliable and sustainable supply of energy for the future. In the context of climate change, this challenge shall comply with a complete respect of our international engagements of reducing our emission of greenhouse gases.
Poland, as the majority of members states, remains heavily dependent on imports to satisfy its internal demand of energy, and considers shale gas exploitation as a real opportunity to increase significantly its internal production and develop its economy.
The european commission in its Energy road map to 2050 prposes to reduce by 80%-95% its GHG emissions by 2050. To achieve this European member states need to develop a competitive low carbon economy which involves to improve energy efficiency and to produce an electricity with almost no greenhouse gas emissions.
Recent scientific studies have demonstrated that shale gas exploitation using hydraulic fracturing has very negative impacts on environment. Destruction of agricultural areas, pollution of groundwater resources and surface water by possibly toxic chemicals, release of methane in the atmosphere, are the most commonly denounced negative impacts.
A recent study carried out by the European parliament, recommends that "because of the possible impacts and risks on the environment and to human health of hydraulic fracturing, consideration should be given to developing a new Directive at European level regulating all issues in this area comprehensively."
Considering what is at stake, we call on the European Commission and on the European Council to declare an immediate moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in the EU until the negative consequences of this technology are fully assessed. This time should be given to the substantial investment in the developpment of renewable energy as solar plants and windmills which will create thousands of jobs in Europe.
Shale gas extraction and the European energy roadmap for 2050 are clearly incompatible.
Best regards,
Signed by the participants of the conference
