Private members' bill bid to ban fracking
Labour is pushing ahead with its bill to ban fracking following a consultation highlighting strong support for the move.
The party's environment and climate change spokesperson Claudia Beamish MSP made it clear that there was an urgent need to tackle climate change and saying no to new fossil fuels is behind her proposal to legislate against fracking.
Over 1,000 responses to the consultation were received, with 87% supportive of a ban.
Beamish will now push ahead with a final proposal for her member's bill.
Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: "It's great news, although not very surprising, that Claudia Beamish has received such a positive response to her Holyrood consultation on a law to ban fracking and will press ahead with her member's bill.
"The risks of fracking are clear and so are the grounds for banning it in the context of the climate crisis.
"While the moratorium imposed by the Scottish Government has halted the immediate threat, ultimately a legislative ban on fracking is necessary to end uncertainty for communities on the frontline of this dirty industry, and send a clear signal that fossil fuels have no place in our energy future.
"We urge MSPs and parties to get behind this bill and work together to protect the environment and remove the threat of fracking from Scottish communities."
Dr Sam Gardner, head of policy at WWF Scotland, also backed the bill. He said: “The results of this consultation are another reminder that there is overwhelming public support in favour of cleaner forms of energy and against fracking occurring in Scotland.
"The climate science is clear, the vast majority of known fossil fuel reserves need to be left in the ground. Scotland should put in place a clear legal block on unconventional fossil fuel extraction and instead play to its natural advantages in clean, green renewable energy.”
The Irish Parliament is working towards a ban on fracking, and the states of Victoria, Australia and Maryland in the USA recently passed laws banning fracking.
