Energy, Climate Change and Fracking

What we Believe:

 

  • Climate change, caused by human emissions of greenhouse gases, is a huge worldwide threat to our society and economy, and tackling the problem is a top priority.
  • Energy policy for the future must be based on reducing energy use, and replacing fossil fuels with the expansion of renewable energy such as wind solar and hydro; we also support more community involvement in these energy sources, as in Germany.
  • We are completely opposed to fracking of shale gas and similar extraction activity; if pursued, fracking will blight communities, contaminate water and generate more greenhouse gases.
  • Nuclear has major problems, e.g. its radioactive waste for future generations and the safety of operating power plants 

 What we do:

 

Green Party members have been very active and supportive of the recent protests against iGas drilling at Barton Moss in Salford. As with our MP Caroline Lucas in Balcombe, Green European election candidate Laura Bannister has put herself on the front line with the protesters, and been arrested for doing so.

 

When fracking trials were introduced in the Blackpool and Fylde area, Green Party campaigner Phillip Mitchell was at the forefront of opposition, and acquired the reputation of an expert on the subject at a national level. Green Councillor and European candidate Gina Dowding has led opposition to fracking in the County Council.  Gina has outlined her personal view of the threats posed by fracking in this Environmental Health News article.

 

Green candidate Jill Perry as been among leading campaigners opposing the creation of a nuclear waste dump in Cumbria.

 

Former Lead Euro-candidate Peter Cranie maintains a record of greenhouse gas emissions on his blog.

 

Energy in the North West: Bringing about a low-carbon, affordable energy future

 

To find out more about energy in our region, read our report "Energy in the North West: bringing about a low-carbon, affordable energy future".