Fracking good or fracking bad?

May 26, 2012 3 Comments by David Knight

$Fracking good or fracking bad?$

This presentation was given at the Feasta climate weekend in Wales last month. Fracking – the use of unconventional methods for extracting natural gas- has become the subject of much controversy on both sides of the Atlantic as the energy industry lobbies for its widespread adoption. The presentation discusses its viability in terms of energy return on investment, its potential as a pollutant and its effect on climate change. You can download the powerpoint slides from this site now, along with the script for the presentation.

Download the powerpoint (ppt, 7 MB)
Script for Fracking talk (pdf)

Dec 1 note: We have replaced the featured image that we originally used with this article so as not to violate the copyright of its creators, the Analysis Group. It was a detailed 3D diagram explaining the mechanics of fracking. You can see it on the Analysis Group’s own website at http://www.analysisgroup.com/popup.aspx?id=12320

Briefing Papers, Cap and Share Documents, Commentary, Discussion Paper, Powerpoint

David Knight

About the author

Dr David Knight has parallel existences as: an academic scientist (Biophysics, Biochemistry, Ultrastructural Analysis); an activist with interests in climate change and civil and military nuclear power; an inventor of surgical devices based on silk; teacher of medical sciences and ecology; and sculptor. He is currently an Honorary Research Associate in Zoology at Oxford University and has held three visiting professorships and a visiting fellowship at MRC MBL Cambridge. He is interested in economics, theology and Jungian psychotherapy but has no expertise in these. He is has a lovely immediate family: wife, two children and five grandchildren. He is a contributor to Feasta's book Sharing for Survival.

Project Feeds

Site Value Tax Petition to Minister Noonan

This residential property tax will be collected on every home in Ireland. The rate you will pay, under this system, depends on the full value of your property including the building. The square footage, the number of bedrooms in your home, energy rating, are some examples of the features that assessors will use [...]

Environmental Pillar policy on Site Value Tax

The Environmental Pillar has added its weight to the growing push for a Site Value Tax in Ireland. Today (18 October) it released a policy on Site Value Tax, outlining the social, economic and environmental benefits that would be delivered by its implementation.

The merits of Site Value Tax (SVT) : A public event at the Castelnock Hotel and Country Club

If you are interested in the Single most important decision our Government could take to navigate us out of our current mess You are welcome to come to a riveting and honest discussion on The merits of Site Value Tax (SVT) Otherwise known as “The Fair Tax” as the alternative to a ‘Property Tax” on [...]

News Digest

Green measures blocked by top EU official

José Manuel Barroso’s top official, Catherine Day, is pressuring environment commissioner Janez Potočnik to delay bringing forward new proposals in a number of areas.

RTE drivetime programmes on fracking

RTE recently broadcast two programmes which include interviews with people who have been adversely affected by fracking in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They are available here and here. A third report will be following shortly.

3 petitions to ban fracking in Ireland

There’s been much discussion on this site of the problems with fracking. These petitions need 20,000 signatures. The frackingfreeireland.org website is a good source of information on the situation in Ireland.

Petition 1 (Northern Ireland only) Petition 2 Petition 3

Feasta funding appeal

Feasta is badly in need of funding at present. Early in 2013 we will lose a sizable proportion of our core funding owing to the winding down of a trust fund that has been supporting Feasta for many years. Joining Feasta, making a donation or buying one of our books are much-appreciated gestures of support towards an organisation with a well-established track record of researching, debating and promoting the much-needed switch to a sustainable and just economic paradigm.

Events

The Money Mess: One-day conference, May 31st, Dublin

Feasta and Sensible Money are organising a one day conference in Dublin on Friday 31st May to explore the consequences of our malfunctioning money system and some of the proposals for its reform, replacement or supplement. The morning session will explore the repercussions of the way in which money is currently created while the afternoon session will focus on responses, including some Irish initiatives.

“Fresh approaches to tackling climate change” – Feasta/WinACC workshop

Environmental activists and anyone with an interest in environmental law are cordially invited to a weekend seminar organised by FEASTA and WinACC (Winchester Action on Climate Change). The seminar will consider fresh approaches to tackling climate change and how they might be put into action. It will appeal to those who like to hear alternative perspectives, challenge conventional thinking, and explore ideas through discussion with others. Saturday June 29th – Sunday June 30th 2013.

Sharing for Survival comments

Comment on Panel: Biochar by James Bruges by Patrick Noble

Blimey James – Sorry to continue the correspondence and please end it if you feel so, but this is important. Life is variable as the quality and quantity of the dust which revives it. The mineralsation of complex proteins into the simple elements required for plant growth is a function of a complexity of life. The whole art of husbandry is regulation of the speed of that process. Return too much fertility to a field and we increase crop yield by diminishing that of a neighbouring field.

Comment on Panel: Biochar by James Bruges by James Bruges

Patrick Not really. It’s called entropy. The process that reduces complex life to dust. It happens all the time, not just by fire or pyrolysis. ‘The total mass of bio’ is not constant, it continually increases and decreases. By growing biomass in desert sand entropy is reversed. James

Comment on Panel: Biochar by James Bruges by Patrick Noble

Thanks James – Sequestration & carbon sumps are bees in my bonnet. I’ll try to keep my bees under control – they are confrontational in that they oppose some central first principles of the IPCC, Zero Carbon Britain 2030 and most university departments! A little geezer becomes passionate in proportion to the mass of his opposition.

Comment on Panel: Biochar by James Bruges by James Bruges

Patrick. Thanks for your response and the attached article, which I found interesting because you obviously know so much more about nature’s mechanisms than I do. When the use of biochar is driven by neoliberal economics (as with all aspects of life) it has dangers, as pointed out by BiofuelWatch.

Debt Crisis Conference

National strategies for dealing with Ireland’s debt crisis: exploring the options – September 22-23 2011

Feasta’s Autumn conference examined measures that this country could adopt to secure its economic future which would not leave it reliant on external factors largely outside of its control. Scenarios explored included the potential collapse of the eurozone. The conference featured prominent international and Irish economists and was aimed at economists, politicians, policy-makers, business people, social partners, and other key decision-makers.

Conference videos.

Conference programme (pdf)

Feasta