HARVIE CHALLENGES SALMOND ON FRACKING
Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow and Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, today challenged First Minister Alex Salmond to rule out fracking for gas in Scotland.
Speaking at First Minister's Questions at Holyrood Mr Harvie said there can be no safe buffer zone for such developments and that fracking and unconventional gas have no place in Scotland.
The First Minister described shale gas as providing "undoubted opportunities" and responded to Mr Harvie by saying an "evidence-based approach" would be a "profoundly good way to proceed."
Speaking after the exchange Mr Harvie said:
“The First Minister had a chance to take a more responsible approach to fracking than the Cameron government with its tax breaks and business rates bribe but he failed to do so. Mr Salmond is ignoring the climate science that tells us we already have access to more fossil fuels than we can safely burn.
"Fracking won’t deliver long-term jobs, won't bring down energy bills for consumers and it poses unnecessary risks for our local communities. The SNP's failure to rule out the development of another form of fossil fuel undermines Scotland's clear opportunity for a low carbon future with sustainable jobs."