Advertisement

Bridge Fuel, My Arse

Shale gas finds could increase fossil fuel reserves, but do we really need more? Explore the debate around climate breakdown and energy transition.

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

That's my translation of Monbiot's position on the huge gas reserves recently discovered in the UK. Today, in a follow-up post, he writes that

any shale gas finds raise our exploitable reserves of fossil fuels, just as we should be reducing them. The world's minerals companies have already found far greater reserves than we can afford to burn without triggering climate breakdown. What is the point of prospecting for new supplies?

I thought the point (speaking only of natural gas) was make coal go extinct and buy time for renewables to scale up and new generation nuclear to come on line?

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

1 Free Article