If it can be shown to be safe for workers and communities, fracking offers part of the solution to the energy crisis, says GMB Union

GMB Union said today’s decision to end the ban on fracking has the potential to create thousands of good jobs and end the UK’s reliance on imported energy – which includes fracked gas from the USA.

In 2021, the UK imported 7.5 per cent of its gas from America, almost all of which was fracked gas.[1]

Fracking must meet the highest environmental, safety and employment standards, the union said.

Andy Prendergast, GMB National Secretary, said:

“Lifting the fracking ban could create thousands of good jobs and end the UK’s gross hypocrisy of happily using shale gas as long as it was fracked in another county.

“GMB believes we must move towards energy self-sufficiency, particularly in light of global instability after the invasion of Ukraine.

“We already have an energy crisis caused by years of Government inaction, with gas storage shut down and all but one of our nuclear plants due to close within the next decade.

“If it can be shown to be safe for workers and communities, fracking offers part of the solution to the energy crisis.

“We should take this opportunity to build an industry that creates good, unionised jobs whilst investing profits in long term carbon neutral solutions we need to hit net zero.”