From Barbara Echlin
Sir, - I am relieved to read that the statement from Mr
Fletcher on fracking is not an official statement from the Church
of England (Letters, 30
August). Nevertheless, it was widely reported as such in the
general news media. A good way for members of the Archbishops'
Council to respond would be for them to endorse the statement from
the joint public-issues team of the Baptist, Methodist, and URC
Churches (News, 30
August).
It does appear that there is a risk from fracking of small
earth-tremors, chemical contamination of water supplies, and the
leakage of gas into the atmosphere. The risk of all of these can,
of course, be reduced with proper regulation.
In fracking's connections with climate change, however, the
risks are much clearer. The emissions of a well set-up fracking rig
are about the same as imported gas, and about half as much as coal.
Gas fracked in the UK will be burnt in addition to the imported gas
or coal we did not buy, thus adding to climate change. We have five
times more fossil-fuel reserves than we need to wreck the climate;
so any attempts to bring more fossil fuels to the surface seem to
me to be suicidal madness.
BARBARA ECHLIN
13 Thornbank Crescent
Bexhill-on-Sea TN39 3ND