As the debate across Europe continues regarding the exploitation of shale gas, the European Commission is preparing its proposal regarding the issue that will be published at the end of the year. On 9 October, the European Parliament voted in favor of applying the Environmental Impact Assessments to shale gas firms before they embark on new drilling projects. The EIA Directive was put into law in 1985 in order to assess the environmental effects of public and private projects, and a 2009 amendment expanded the directive to include the capture and storage of carbon dioxide. However, as the industry for the exploitation of unconventional fuels takes off around much of the world, Europeans are expressing concerns surrounding the largely contested environmental impacts of drilling for shell gas. Thus, the Commission is formulating a proposal that will give European citizens protection from the risks caused by hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, of shale gas that currently apply to the extraction of conventional energy sources.
Shale gas is a form of natural gas that is found within fine-grained sedimentary rocks, and its use has greatly decreased gas costs for nations who rely heavily upon oil imports. In the United States, the use of shale gas increased by 48 percent between 2006 and 2010, resulting in a decrease in gas imports and prices as well as an increase in the nation’s GDP by 1 percent. Supporters of shale gas claim that the utilization of these unconventional reserves could greatly benefit member states, especially as the EU recovers from the financial crisis; moreover, Europe’s continued hesitance may make the U.S. even more attractive for energy investors, leaving Europe behind in a new wave of growth in the energy industry.
However, public opinion across the EU is not in favor of extracting shale gas, for there is much uncertainty regarding the environmental consequences of such projects. The process of fracking retrieves the gas by fracturing the rock with a high-pressured mixture of dangerous chemicals and water in wells deep below the surface. Critics of this method claim that it pollutes the water supply, for much of the fracking fluid returns to the surface as wastewater and has the potential to leak into surrounding groundwater.
The biggest area of concern surrounding shale gas is the methane emissions, which will need to be closely monitored, but studies regarding the effects of these emissions vary drastically. According to the EU’s Joint Research Center, drilling for shale gas is detrimental to the health of the environment and EU citizens, for even if the industry implements the best safeguards, global temperatures are predicted to rise by 3.5 degrees. Cornell University conducted a study in 2011 that revealed that methane gas emissions from shale drilling could leave a carbon footprint that is between 20 to 100 percent greater than that of coal, triggering a dangerous increase in global warming. Although methane is more potent than conventional gas, most studies have contradicted Cornell’s report, stating that shale gas emissions are less harmful on the environment than coal.
For some EU member states, such as the UK and Poland, the benefits of drilling for shale gas outweigh the uncertain environmental impacts; on the other hand, Bulgaria, France, and northern Spain have outlawed the practice of fracking due to public opposition. Since the guiding principle of subsidiarity guarantees that a member state’s choice of energy mix is self-determined, the EU cannot create legislation that bans the practice. Therefore, the directive will address the risks of drilling for shale gas, such as the flaring of greenhouse gases, groundwater contamination and the management of wastewater, seismic disturbances, impacts on air quality, and noise emissions.
There are speculations that the Commission’s proposal will be included in the 2030 targets and the Emissions Trading Scheme; however, the directive will not be acted upon until the arrival of the next administration after the May 2014 European Parliament elections.
David Casa is a PN MEP