Unfracked: why shale gas should stay in the ground & Gasland Part II film screening

Full details and video of the event can be found here: http://www.greenmediabox.eu/archive/2013/09/05/unfracked/

about

There are several myths circulating about the extraction of shale gas, coal bed methane and other unconventional fossils, through different methods, notably hydraulic fracturing. These include: – that the extraction of such fuels will bring prosperity to Europe – that we can replicate the economic boom of the US, without repeating their environmental mistakes – that shale gas and other UFFs are necessary transition fuels – that they are good for the climate – that we do not need any extra legislation in Europe to regulate these technologies – that the risks to public health are minimal.

These are just some of the many myths which will be discussed and debunked during the Greens/EFA Group’s morning conference on unconventional fossil fuel extraction, alongside in-depth discussion of the legislative framework, and examples of “fracking-free” campaigns in Europe and the US. Speakers include researchers, academics, campaigners, economists, activists, NGOs, engineers and other stakeholders in this debate. There will be plenty of opportunity for questions and debate from the floor.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
9:15-11:00
  Part 1: Fracking-free zones and the legislative framework  
Welcome and introduction by José Bové MEP

Presentation and Q&A of case study of fracking-free zones in Netherlands
Geert Ritsema, Campaign coordinator Friends of the Earth, Netherlands

Presentation from US Frack Action campaign
John Armstrong

Presentations from the floor

Presentation on European legislative framework
Helène Bras, lawyer, France

Presentation of materials “Frack-tivists guide to EU legislation” 
by MEP

Questions & Answers / open debate

11:00-12:45  
Part 2: Top 5 myths about shale gas explained

Introduction and moderation by Carl Schlyter MEP

Shale gas extraction is good for the climate
Gabrielle Petron, University of Colorado

Q&A

The existing legislative framework is adequate 
Mike Hill, oil & gas engineer, UK

Q&A

Shale gas is good for the economy
Thomas Porcher, economist, France

Q&A

Shale gas poses minimal risk to public health
 – Sandra Steingraber (via skype)

Q&A

Contribution from DG Environment European Commission

Further questions/open debate

Presentation of Greens/EFA materials and conclusions 
by Sandrine Bélier MEP

Our good friend and leading UK fractivist, Vanessa Vine, with GASLANDS film maker Josh Fox at the event.

JEAN LAMBERT MEP

*** NEWS RELEASE ***

From the office of the Green MEP for London

5th September, 2013

EU MUST PROTECT PRIVACY FROM U.S. SPYING

EURO-MP Jean Lambert has called on the EU to protect all citizens from US spying as part of any negotiations over a proposed new trade deal.

London’s Green MEP, speaking ahead of a Civil Liberties Committee meeting at which Guardian Editor Alan Rusbridger called for journalists to be protected from spying, said:

“The agreements between the EU and the US are leaky at best – resulting in a summer of scandals which has seen newspapers and even Government institutions claiming to have been the victims of US espionage.

“Surveillance might be justified to protect the public, but that surveillance must be targeted, proportionate and effective: what we are seeing is a move to blanket surveillance and so-called ‘fishing expeditions’.

“We have already seen that is essential to be able to manage intelligence effectively and the tragic failures where that does not happen. A mass of information is totally counterproductive.”

Ms Lambert added: “The EU needs to safeguard the security of its citizens and their privacy: all Member States need to respect that and should only breach that privacy under strict conditions, fully recognised in law and where redress is possible – and this should be part of any international agreements between the EU and US.”

The Green MEP will be hosting a discussion on data protection in the EU alongside Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, at the Green Party’s Autumn Conference in Brighton on Saturday, September 14th.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Jean Lambert is one of eight MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green representatives in the European Parliament. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections and was re-elected in 2004 and 2009.

For an interview with Jean, a print picture, or for further information – including details of the Brighton conference dicussion (and how you can attend) please contact: Ben Duncan, Media & PR Officer to Jean Lambert MEP: 020 7250 8417 / 07917 881648 / media

www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk

Caroline Flint, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has adopted Labour’s now traditional policy of sitting firmly on the fence and having no opinion on anything, choosing instead to spout lots of meaningless hot air. What follows is, in fact, a masterclass of this approach.

Opposition? What a joke that is. We may as well have a three party coalition!

Energy Prices and Profits
Opposition Day — [6th Allotted Day] — Living Standards
4:45 pm 4th Sept

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2013-09-04a.393.0#g398.3

Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green)
Yesterday, Lord Stern dismissed claims that fracking could bring down the price of gas in the UK as “baseless economics”. Given the long list of experts explaining why shale gas will not help people who are struggling with high energy bills and will actually trash our climate commitments, will the right hon. Lady take this opportunity to rule out fracking in the UK under any future Labour Government?

Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour)
I have been clear that our approach to fracking and what it could offer must be evidence-led. In the past few years, I have been disappointed by the
fact that, for all sorts of reasons, the Government have chosen to up the ante on what gas from such exploration can provide. We do not really know the exact cost-benefits of fracking for gas. We do not know how much is there and whether those benefits will be realised when we get it out of the ground. I am afraid that I shall have to disappoint the hon. Lady by not ruling it out, but our approach must be evidence-based and pragmatic. I certainly do not believe that we should be offering tax breaks, given everything that is going on in this country, for something that might not happen for 10 years, if it happens at all.
The Government have harmed the reasonable debate that we should be having about fracking by trying to polarise the use of the gas against that of renewables. That has been incredibly unfortunate as regards having a practical, reasonable and evidence-led debate. That is what we will lead on in trying to debate the issue, which is important for our country.
As I have said, we can simplify the tariffs. We can take our proposal to put all those who are over 75 on the cheapest tariff. But before we even get to tariffs, we must ensure that the prices that make up bills are set fairly and openly in a properly competitive environment. That is crucial because wholesale costs are the single biggest component of domestic energy bills and make up more than half the prices consumers pay.
If we do not have a competitive wholesale market putting a downward pressure on prices, people might be on the cheapest tariff but might still not be getting a fair deal. The Government seem to say that they agree that the market is not as transparent or competitive as it should be, but what are they doing about it? Not very much.

Michael Weir (Angus, Scottish National Party)
Will the right hon. Lady give way?

Caroline Flint (Don Valley, Labour)
I just want to make a little progress.
The Energy Bill takes broadly based back-stop powers to improve liquidity, but the Government cannot even say in what circumstances or in what way they would use those powers. I am sure that the Secretary of State will pray in aid Ofgem’s work on liquidity. In our previous exchanges, he has defended the regulator against my criticisms, but I hope that he has read the Select Committee’s report, “Energy Prices, Profits and Poverty”, which was published over the summer. Its conclusion is stark. The very first page of the report states:
“Ofgem is failing consumers by not taking all possible steps to improve transparency and openness in the energy market.”
I am afraid Ofgem’s proposals on wholesale market liquidity do not go anywhere near addressing the two main problems with the market.
The first problem is that the market is dominated by six companies that both generate power and retail it to consumers with a market share of 98%. As Which? pointed out in its report over the summer, the obvious problem with the structure is that it provides little incentive for companies to keep wholesale prices efficient if the effect of doing so is to reduce the overall profitability of the company. Why would the supply arm of an energy company try to drive down profits on the generation arm if the outcome was to reduce the amount of money the company as a whole was making? Although the
companies are right to say, as they frequently do, that their retail profits are only 5%, which is pretty healthy, their profit margins on generation are much more substantial. Which? suggests in its report that last year they were about 19%.

Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton, Liberal Democrat)
Will the right hon. Lady give way?

My report on the scientific and technical evidence against fracking, on behalf of Wales Green Party, heads the list of 18 submissions:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmwelaf/writev/esg/contents.htm

Most of the usual suspects are there, but there is a clear consensus against fracking in the evidence listed. Of course they won’t all be given equal weight, will they?

It is also interesting that DECC felt obliged to submit something to re-state the Cameron/Osborn line.

It will be very interesting to to see how the Welsh Affairs Committee interprets what is before them. Are their minds open to persuasion, or will they fall sheep-like into party-line?

Given the current composition, I will be staggered if they achieve anything like unanimity. But then again with 5 blue tories and 5 red tories, plus the one yellow tory, we may have to rely on some resistance from the solitary PC member. I sincerely hope that I am being unduly harsh on the Labour members with this comment, but given Carwyn’s stance to date in the WG, Welsh Labour really have to get off the fence and declare what they think is right. Let us see if they are up for this challenge.

It may be a good idea to write to them directly, especially if they are your MP – and that can include the good people of Redditch!

• • Wednesday, September 18, 2013
  • 
    7:00pm until 9:00pm

• Speakers from local trade unions, tenants and bedroom tax campaigns, Green, Labour & Plaid parties. Organising to support the NHS demo on 29 September and day of action 5 November. Owen Jones is now a confirmed speaker along with Pippa Bartolotti from the Green Party; Steve Clarke from Welsh Tenants; and Peter Crews from Unison and a couple more yet. Contact Andy if you would like a lift from the Bridgend area. VENUE: YMCA, Taff Street ,Pontypridd ‘Unity against austerity’ We will help people attend the ‘support the NHS demonstration’ at the Tories conference on 29 September. Organise for UK day of action on 5 November and other ongoing local forms of resistance. Are you angry about · Wage cuts, zero hour contracts, unemployment and forced work for free? · Bedroom tax, loss of disablement benefits, and ATOS tests? · Privatisation and underfunding of the NHS? · Climate change and ‘fracking’? · The working class paying for bankers’ crisis? Would you fight for: · Making companies and the rich pay their taxes? · Stop privatisation, keep control of the nationalised banks and re-nationalise industries such as rail and water? · Repeal the Tories NHS legislation and keep the market out of our national health system? · Direct investment by the state into green and other industries and services that benefit people and not profit? · Scrapping Trident and other unnecessary military and war spending? If you agree with most of these statements you should be involved in the People’s Assembly.Support our letter and get involved by coming to our meeting. People’s Assembly UK: http://thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/ People’s Assembly local: http://pafightback.blogspot.co.uk/ andhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/607143535974006/

I have just received this from Tim Thomas of Bridgend Plaid Cymru. It is an initiative that we ought to support and may be of particular interest to some of you.

I will probably go along myself, and if anyone would like a lift, please let me know.
If you are going under your own steam, please let me know too.

Regards,

Andy

Chair Bridgend Greens

https://bridgendgreens.wordpress.com/?s=bedroom+tax

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tim Thomas

Subject: FW: Bridgend Against the Bedroom Tax

I have organised the first Bridgend Against the Bedroom Tax meeting for Wednesday 11th September, 8pm in the West House Pub, Cefn Glas, Bridgend. This will be a cross party and tenant led campaign, so if you can make it please come along. Attending the meeting will be Jamie Insole from the South Wales Against the Bedroom Tax Campaign and National Union of Journalists. I am also hoping that there will be attendees from Welsh Tenants, Shelter Cymru and from the Tenants Participation and Advisory Service.  This first meeting will be to plan our campaign so would be really good to see many of you there.
Diolch
Tim

When Natalie Bennett was first elected as Green Party leader 12 months ago, it is fair to say I was uncertain that we had got it right. The jury was therefore out, so to speak.

But now the verdict is clear – she has grown into the job admirably and is very much the right person. And I am not the only person to recognise this. Friday’s Guardian contained an excellent feature on her: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/30/green-party-leader-natalie-bennett

The final paragraph sums up the writer’s over-riding impression of her:

Mostly, I love the optimism. She is always ready with a positive exemplar: an insulation project in Kirklees, a solar-panelled brewery in Lewes, permaculture, energy-saving ideas, some reason to be cheerful – the greatest of which is, just because things look bad, doesn’t mean they’ll stay bad. “There has been enormous change, just from my mother to me; there was massive change in the possibilities that were available to me and what people expected of me. Change is the normal human condition. We just tend to be quite short-sighted and not recognise that things have changed massively already.” I feel that the Greens are already flying; they deserve better air quality, as will we all, soon enough.

She has room to grow further into the job, but alongside Caroliine Lucas, she presents a committed, intelligent and credible persona to the world, that reflects well on us all. The fact that she is also just as approachable and personable as Caroline to the membership – perhaps even more so – also helps strengthen the Party.

I therefore wish to congratulate Natalie on so successfully rising to the challenges of her first 12 months at the helm, and look forward to her continuing the upwards trajectory of her leadership and the Party’s fortunes in the coming years.  (Andy Chyba)

Natalie Bennet with Bridgend members Rozz, John and Andy (with Trish behind the camera) at Balcombe recently.