Britain has given the green light to gas “fracking”, just days after David Cameron said the controversial technique could help bring down household energy bills. Edward Davey, the Energy Secretary, this morning lifted a ban on the drilling for shale gas, which was put in place after the UK’s first project near Lancashire caused tremors last year. His decision will allow companies to explore for the new energy source across swathes of countryside in the south, north-west and north-east of England. He said his decision to allow drilling is based on scientific evidence about the safety of the technology, in which water and chemicals are pumped into the ground at high pressure to fracture the rocks and release gas. The Prime Minister also voiced support on Tuesday, saying Britain “should take part in fracking and unconventional gas because this might be a revolution that we should be involved in”.

(Dr. Benny Peiser)