Fracking report misses a golden opportunity

With the publication of its Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas, the International Energy Agency has missed an opportunity to develop detailed and credible standards that could speed international acceptance for drilling and fracking.

The rules, published yesterday, are the outcome of a process that has brought together governments, natural gas producers and environmental groups to address social and environmental concerns expressed about fracking and shale gas.

The report’s declared aim is to help the industry win a social licence to operate and “(pave) the way for the widespread development of unconventional gas resources on a large scale, boosting overall gas supply and making the golden age of gas a reality”.