Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
debate over shale gas exploitation in Europe has considered whether
regulations can reduce risks that this activity could damage human health
and have negative environmental impacts (e.g., through the release of
chemicals into the water table) suf
ciently for its conduct to be author-
ised.
105
In both cases, regulatory regimes, however strictly enforced, can-
not remove risks of environmental harm occurring due to human error,
mechanical breakdown or unforeseen occurrences. Options of this nature
would therefore be ranked by reference to the likely seriousness of impacts
on ecosystem functionality if feared events occur. This would be likely to
result in nuclear energy and shale gas being classi
ed as means of energy
production that should not be employed except where this is an absolute
necessity to secure a rapid reduction of carbon emissions from present
levels. Indeed, the clear threats that they could present if accidents occur
may lead to them being identi
. Again,
prior consideration should be given to possibilities for reducing consump-
tion, improving energy ef
ed as candidates for
'
sunsetting
'
ciency and increasing the use of preferred
options. Consideration of other impacts that an action may have, such
as shale gas exploitation
s need for land conversion over wide areas for
drilling, the demands that this places on water supplies and its prolonga-
tion of carbon-emitting fuel sources (albeit with less intensity than coal
and oil) will also determine how it is viewed as an option for progressing
an ecological transition.
The second reason for considering the potential for options to have
negative effects in certain contexts at the policy level is to formulate
packages of measures that promote uses of them that are less likely to
cause ecological harm. The Renewable Energy Directive does this by
promoting the growth in production of
'
biofuels
produced from waste and from feedstocks with lower life cycle carbon
emissions. Biofuels derived from these sources count twice towards
achievement of a 10 per cent target for the consumption of renewables
in energy consumed for transportation to be achieved by all Member
States by 2020.
106
The multiplier will increase to four if proposed amend-
ments to the Directive are adopted.
107
Similarly,
'
second generation
'
nancial support for
105
AEA Technology,
cation of potential risks for the environment
and human health arising from hydrocarbons operations involving hydraulic fractur-
ing in Europe
'
Support to the identi
(report produced for the European Commission,
2012
),
http://ec.europa.
106
Renewable Energy Directive, Article 21(2).
107
European Commission,
'
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the
Council amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels
'
