Green Party determined to stop extracting ever more coal, oil and gas

Caroline Lucas MP and other Greens supporting a Frack Free Zone

 

The Green Party of England and Wales are active in the campaign against fossil fuels. Here, Derek Wall - their International Coordinator - explains the role the Green Party has taken in the fight against fracking.

The message at the heart of Green Party of England and Wales work on climate change is to stop extracting ever more coal, oil and gas. It is vital to expand renewables but to prevent runaway climate change we need to contract carbon based fuel. This is why our party views fracking as so dangers. Fracking has a range of ill effects and associated problems but, above all, it is a source of CO2 emissions. The current British government is embarking on a fracking frenzy, tax cuts are being given to frackers and there are plans to make it possible to frack in national parks. While an English person's home may in theory be their castle, frackers will be allowed to frack under other peoples property without permission.

The Green Party of England and Wales has been campaigning strongly against fracking. Our Member of the European Parliament for the South East England region, Keith Taylor, has been a long term opponent of fracking. He has used the European Parliament to challenge the practice. In Sussex the local community of Balcombe were faced by exploratory drilling which they feared would lead to fracking and used non violent direct action to protect their beautiful countryside. Many Green Party members took part in the Balcombe anti fracking camp. Our Member of the national Parliament Caroline Lucas took part in a protest, sitting in the road and was arrested. She was found not guilty and drilling at Balcombe was stopped after the company involved withdrew.

Fracking is one element of a large problem of extreme energy with governments unconcerned about climate change finding new and dangerous sources of fossil fuel to exploit. In Britain, while other political parties including the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, UKIP and Labour support fracking, we in the Green Party oppose it. Our opposition is full spectrum: we fight to win elections to legislate against it, we support non violent protest and we spread the word about fracking.