New Shale Gas Report Challenges Global Climate Policy

On May 4^th The Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) published a detailed report about the shale gas revolution and its likely implications climate policy.

The introduction reads:

‘The detection and exploitation of shale gas has been described as nothing less than a revolution in the world energy industry, promising to transform not only the prospects of the gas industry, but of world energy trade, geopolitics and climate policy.

The claim made by shale gas‘s champions is that, in defiance of early scepticism, shale gas is proving to be:

• ubiquitous, with the result that it promises to be developed near to markets rather than in places where it happens to be abundant, like oil;

• cheap, with the result that it promises gradually to take market share from nuclear, coal and renewable energy and to replace oil in some transport and industrial uses;

• environmentally benign, with the result that it promises to reduce pollution and accelerate the decarbonisation of the world economy.

This report considers these claims and assesses them against various counter-claims.  It finds that although there are considerable uncertainties that make hyperbole unwise, shale gas will undoubtedly prove to be a significant new force in the world energy scene, with far-reaching consequences.’

A note about the report’s release may be seen at GWPF’s blog: http://www.thegwpf.org/press-releases/2938-new-report-shale-gas-shock-challenges-climate-and-energy-policies.html

A pdf copy of the report is available at: http://www.thegwpf.org/images/stories/gwpf-reports/Shale-Gas_4_May_11.pdf