Blog Categories: climate crisis

Scotland Bans Fracking. The UK and U.S. Should as Well

Statement by Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe

Washington, D.C. and Brussels – “Today, Scotland’s government banned fracking, acknowledging what the science shows: if we want to address climate change, we have to start with cutting fossil fuel emissions.”

“Banning fracking is a necessary step towards beating the worst effects of climate chaos, and the UK and the U.S. should follow Scotland’s example. In the U.S., we already have the means to start moving off of fracking swiftly—the Off Fossil Fuels For a Better Future Act, which would mandate a just transition to 100 percent clean renewable energy by 2035, starting with 80 percent within the next 10 years.

“Giant energy company Ineos, which invested heavily in its Scottish facility at Grangemouth, fought hard against this ban, even threatening to explore legal action against the government if it passed. But people power prevailed, and it will continue to prevail. We can’t let companies like ExxonMobil and Ineos stop the inevitable march towards clean energy. Bold and swift policy change is our only hope for addressing our climate goals. We applaud the Scottish government for doing what’s right for people and the planet.”

Contact:

Frida Kieninger: +32 (0) 2893 1045 – [email protected]

European Parliament Votes on New Security of Gas Supply Regulation

Brussels, 12 September 2017 – Today, the European Parliament voted for a new regulation that provides a set of cross-border measures to deal with supply shortages, which includes the elimination of barriers for gas flow.

Food & Water Europe is disappointed that the final text of the regulation fails to see the bigger picture and does not contain a long-term view on how to tackle the problems around gas supply; specifically, it does not question the problems of Europe’s dependence on gas itself.

“The text barely mentions demand side measures crucial to reducing peak demand or energy efficiency measures capable of significantly reducing our gas use,” says Frida Kieninger, campaign officer at Food & Water Europe. “Considering the known impact of fossil fuels on climate change, it is crucial that investment in new fossil fuel infrastructure is limited as much as possible, if not completely ceased.”

With every 1% in gas demand reduction, the EU can decrease its import dependence by 2.6%. The European gas network is already prepared for a range of disruption scenarios, with only parts of South-Eastern Europe lacking supply security measures.

“Instead of focussing on new interconnections and expanding bi-directional capacity, the EU Parliament must open its eyes to real solutions and not implement a mere treatment of symptoms. Industry has been given a big role in assessing the needed measures to secure European gas supply, so it is not a big surprise that the construction of more gas infrastructure is seen as a main approach to enhance energy security. We clearly see an issue of conflict of interest here,” says Kieninger.

Europe does not need more pipelines, locking us into fossil gas with its devastating impact on the climate and the safety, health and environment of supply countries. All efforts need to be directed towards real, long-term solutions, including aggressive investment in distributed renewable energy generation and energy efficiency measures.

Contact:

Frida Kieninger, Food & Water Europe, Campaign Officer, Rue d’Edimbourg 26, Brussels 1050, Belgium, +32 487 24 99 05, fkieninger(at)fweurope.org

UK Court Injunction Won’t Stop Anti-Fracking Movement

Washington, D.C. and Brussels – On July 31, petrochemical giant Ineos Corporation won a High Court injunction intended to stifle protest against the company’s plans to frack sites in the UK.

In response, Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe Executive Director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“The public knows the dangers fracking poses to our clean air and water, and that’s why activists in England are taking bold action to protect their communities against these threats. Ineos would like to stifle this movement, and unfortunately this High Court injunction has given the company a potentially powerful tool to threaten those advocating for a healthy climate and a livable world. If Ineos thinks an interim court injunction will stop the movement to protect our water, climate and communities from fracking, they are in for a surprise.”

“The critical struggle to pull back from the climate precipice is too important to allow temporary setbacks like this court ruling to stop the anti-fracking movement. Fracked gas and all fossil fuels must be replaced with clean, renewable energy immediately if we’re going to secure a safe, livable future for coming generations.”

Trump Takes Advantage of Europe’s Fossil Fuel Dependence

Statement by Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe

Washington, D.C. and Brussels — “After President Trump’s speech last week promoting a dark and dystopian vision — U.S. fossil ‘energy dominance’ — it is no surprise that his visit to Poland centers on promoting U.S. exports of fracked gas. Beyond such bluster, reality tells a different story.

“U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are expensive. For the economics to work, U.S. production costs have to be low while prices in importing countries stay high. In India, a major importer of U.S. LNG is now finding itself at the mercy of contracts that locked in high prices for U.S. LNG, relative to other sources of gas. This is how energy dominance will play out for those at the receiving end.

“Consumers in LNG exporting countries are also getting pinched. In Australia, for example, “extreme” levels of LNG exports have caused economic disruptions. While the Industrial Energy Consumers of America’s call for a moratorium on LNG exports is prudent, Trump is not known for his prudence.

“The fracking industry dominates the Trump Administration, and it wants more pipelines to support more exports. The U.S. government is allowing pipeline companies to forcibly take land away from property owners through eminent domain – not to benefit the general public, but to increase the amounts of U.S. oil and gas brought to the surface and burned, and increase industry profits. In short, we are witnessing the transformation of the United States into a petrostate. Former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is running the Department of State. Oil and gas cheerleaders in Rick Perry and Scott Pruitt at the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Most people accept the science of climate change and see through the dangerous, short-sighted and corrupt vision Trump and his cadre have for the world. People are beginning to see —in Europe and elsewhere — that economic security hinges on stopping climate pollution, and requires moving off fossil fuels. We can redefine and meet our energy needs using clean, renewable sources of power by organizing local campaigns and holding political leaders accountable. Together we can build a positive energy future by moving off fossil fuels.”

Contact:

Andy Gheorghiu, Food & Water Europe, Fracking Policy Advisor, +49 5631 50 69 507 (land), +49 160 20 30 974 (mobile), agheorghiu(at)fweurope.org

Darcey Rakestraw, 202-683-2467; [email protected]

Petition rejected – EU Commission wants to let ExxonMobil get away with climate change denial

Brussels, 20 June 2017 — Despite the evidence of the ExxonMobil’s active role in the funding of climate change deniers which has deliberately prevented far more consequent and comprehensive political efforts against climate change, the EU Commission says it does not plan to take action.

The Commission’s statement is in response to a Food & Water Europe petition from July 2016, asking Members of the European Parliament to hold ExxonMobil accountable for its climate cover-up – which will be discussed in the Petition Committee of the EU tomorrow.

There is increasing evidence that in the 1980s, and maybe even much earlier, oil and gas giant ExxonMobil knew about the existence of climate change and the role of fossil fuels. And while carefully keeping the facts to themselves, ExxonMobil started a denial campaign covering up the certainty that climate change and fossil fuel extraction are closely linked. Its former CEO Rex Tillerson is Secretary of State in the Trump administration, which announced the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on June 1.

To this day, ExxonMobil has not taken proper action and hasn’t suffered liability for its actions. Instead of acknowledging its wrongdoing, ExxonMobil continues to push for fracking projects in Europe that will cause even more methane emissions and increase global warming. Moreover, the company violates the precautionary and polluter pays principle (article 191 AEUV) and works deliberately against the fundamental rights of EU citizens (in particular article 35 of EU Charter of Fundamental Rights).

This statement from the Commission comes at a time when the same EU Commission – together with the Council of the EU – deeply regrets the unilateral decision by the United States Administration to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and reaffirms that the European Union and its Member States remain united and absolutely committed to full and swift implementation of the Paris Agreement.

“It’s disappointing to see that the EU Commission presents itself as a defender of the Paris Agreement while refusing to hold ExxonMobil accountable for its role in the crisis,” says Andy Gheorghiu of Food & Water Europe. “But we all know that the time for talk is over. What we need now is swift and concrete action to tackle the already visible impacts of global warming.”

Contact:

Andy Gheorghiu, Food & Water Europe, Fracking Policy Advisor, +49 5631 50 69 507 (land), +49 160 20 30 974 (mobile), agheorghiu(at)fweurope.org

Petrochemical Expansion in Europe Means More Fracking in the United States

Ineos plans to build new plant to handle more fracked gas shipped across the Atlantic

Brussels: – 14 June, 2017 — The Financial Times reports that European energy giant INEOS announced plans to build a new petrochemical plant that uses fracked gas from the United States as a feedstock for producing propylene, a raw material used in making plastics. The company relies on its new fleet of “dragon ships” to act as a virtual pipeline, shipping gas liquids across the Atlantic Ocean.

In response, Food & Water Europe executive director Wenonah Hauter issued the following statement:

“Fracking has already done terrible damage to the air and water across Ohio and Pennsylvania. Now, the suffering in these front-line communities will increase, all to serve the corporate profits of the plastics industry. This means more drilling, more pipelines, and more pollution—all to serve the interests of a massive petrochemical corporation, owned by a billionaire.

“The Ineos business model of shipping fracking gas liquids across the ocean does damage on both sides of the Atlantic. Communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania suffer the effects of fracking, while those living near the petrochemical facilities are forced to live with air pollution and the plastic litter polluting local coasts. The petrochemical plants emit massive amounts of air and climate pollutants, and Scottish environmental regulators have repeatedly cited Ineos for violating emissions standards.

“To protect the safety of communities in the United States and Europe, and to prevent the worst impacts of fossil fuel-linked climate chaos, political leaders must listen to the grassroots activists who are calling for an end to fracking everywhere.”

Contact: Andy Gheorghiu, Food & Water Europe, Fracking Policy Advisor, Food & Water Europe, +49 (0) 5631 50 69 507 (land), +49 (0) 160 20 30 974 (mobile), agheorghiu(at)fweurope.org