UMP deputé calls for repeal of Anti-Fracking law

What part of Non! don’t they understand?

A UMP deputé has organised a conference this Tuesday (17th Jan) calling for the repeal of the anti-fracking law. This is the loi Jacob passed last summer which banned fracking in France. François-Michel Gonnot and energy industry lobbyists are attempting to bring pressure to bear on the French government to repeal one of the most popular laws passed in France for decades, and one which was supported by every political party in the country.

Cahors says Non!

Saturday saw demonstrations of support for the anti-fracking law outside government offices all over France. M. Gonnot is of the opinion that the money to be made from fracking is worth the damage it will do to the environment. He stated that he “saw no reason to abstain from exploiting this resource when so many other countries were already benefitting from it.” That so many people were prepared to turn out and re-state their opposition to this damaging technology should make it clear that he is out of tune with the national mood.

So far, of course, these 'other countries' have not benefited at all, as very little gas is actually flowing. Also the estimates of how much gas is under the ground vary wildly. The oil and gas companies always talk them up, but at the same time they are very coy about how much they can actually get out. In short, exploitation could do a lot of irreparable damage for very little gain.

President Sarkozy personally endorsed  the anti-fracking policy when celebrating the granting of Unesco World Heritage status to the Cevennes region. Maybe M Gonnot should ask M Sarkozy, if the run-up to an election, with France’s international credit rating on the slide,  is a good time to put on this display of corporate greed and further alienate the UMP from the vast majority of the French voters.

As we have suggested in the past the battle is not won, the gas companies will keep coming back, we must be prepared to keep telling them that Non! means Non!


For a refresher on the main objections to gaz de schiste and hydraulic fracturing click here: (A Dozen Devastating Denials of Gaz de Schiste)