🔄 “Drill, Baby, Drill” in Wales? 🌍
Nigel Farage’s Reform party is shaking things up with a promise to lift the fracking ban if they take office. Shale gas extraction, effectively banned in Wales since 2018 over safety and environmental concerns, is back on the discussion table. Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, argues it’s “grossly financially negligent” to leave potential “energy treasure” buried underground.
Ever since David Cameron’s government touted a “shale gas revolution,” the road has been rocky, with protests, legal challenges, and minor quakes halting progress. Though the Conservative Party manifesto promised a halt unless science changed, the 2022 energy crisis prompted Liz Truss to reconsider the ban due to energy security concerns.
Wales, staunchly opposed to fracking, took control of fracking licenses in 2018, with the Welsh Government showing commitment to greener policies, joining the “Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance.” Past attempts to find shale gas in Maesteg and the Vale of Glamorgan were halted over contamination fears.
With polls suggesting Reform might lead the Senedd next year, the fracking debate could heat up again as environmentalists and industry experts prepare for a critical discussion on energy policy and sustainability in Wales. 🔍💬
What do you think of this potential pivot in energy strategy? Let us know! 📢💡