MPs seek opinions on potential risks of fracking

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has announced that it is conducting an inquiry into the environmental risks of fracking.

The committee is inviting submissions of written evidence in relation to three points: the environmental risks from fracking in the UK, including potential risks to water supplies; necessary environmental safeguards; and the implications for carbon emissions. 

Fracking involves pumping water and other substances into shale rock at high pressure to release trapped gas and oil for recovery. In the United States, large-scale fracking is already underway, but the process has proved controversial because of concerns that it may result in contamination of water tables, cause earth tremors and because of the implications for tackling climate change of the ongoing exploitation of non-renewable energy sources.