GAS MORATORIUM CALLED FOR AT SCOTTISH GREENS CONFERENCE
Members of the Scottish Green Party have overwhelmingly backed an emergency motion to their conference in Inverness condemning the Scottish Government for opening the door to unconventional gas developments such as fracking.
The motion was proposed by Stirling Green councillor Mark Ruskell, who said:
"The unconventional gas development at Airth is pivotal as it concerns the first commercial scale development whereas others such as Balcombe are merely exploratory. Draft Scottish Planning Policy on unconventional gas developments has been delayed until Summer next year, creating an open door for developers."
The text of the emergency motion was:
Conference notes the imminent public inquiry into the UK's first commercial unconventional gas development at Airth in the Forth Valley.
Conference acknowledges the strong concerns of communities across Scotland and in particular the Forth Valley, Fife and Dumfries & Galloway over the local and global environmental impact of unconventional gas developments and applauds the efforts of Falkirk Against Unconventional Gas in developing a Community Mandate and a Community Charter to protect their community.
Conference condemns the Scottish Government for delaying the introduction of planning policy on unconventional gas developments to Summer 2014 and calls for an immediate moratorium on all exploratory and commercial unconventional gas operations.