Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well. The term fracking refers to how the rock is fractured apart by the high pressure mixture.

The industry suggests fracking of shale gas could contribute significantly to the UK’s future energy needs. Conversely, campaigners say that fracking is simply distracting energy firms and governments from investing in renewable sources of energy, and encouraging continued reliance on fossil fuels.

“Shale gas is not the solution to the UK’s energy challenges,” said Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Tony Bosworth. “We need a 21st century energy revolution based on efficiency and renewables, not more fossil fuels that will add to climate change.”

The Task Force on Shale Gas, an industry-funded body, has said the UK needs to start fracking to establish the possible economic impact of shale gas – saying it could create thousands of jobs. In Lancashire, the 6-year proposed fracking project – overwhelmingly rejected by councillors in 2015, and subsequently overturned by the Secretary of State Sajid Javid – would create just 11 jobs at each of the two sites, according to the fracking company’s application. This includes on-site, indirect supply chain and induced effects. There has never been any report showing where the thousands of jobs claimed by the Task Force on Shale Gas are coming from. Former Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly spoken of his support for fracking, saying it could support tens of thousand of UK jobs and reduce bills.

“I want us to get on board this change that is doing so much good and bringing so much benefit to North America. I want us to benefit from it here as well,” he has previously said.

The extensive use of fracking in the US has prompted environmental concerns. Fracking uses huge amounts of water, which must be transported to the fracking site, at significant environmental cost. Environmentalists say potentially carcinogenic chemicals used may escape and contaminate groundwater around the fracking site. The industry suggests pollution incidents are the results of bad practice, rather than an inherently risky technique.

This is the first in a series of articles looking at different environmental issues and what we, as individuals and collectively as a Trade Union, can do about them.

Look out for Part 2 – The facts and figures