One-third of Members of European Parliament vote against fracking

One-third of Members of European Parliament vote against fracking by Brent Patterson, November 28, 2012, rabble.ca
On November 21, 262 Members of the European Parliament — more than one-third of MEPs — voted in support of a moratorium on fracking in Europe. … While MEPs express concern about fracking, the Canadian embassy and corporate interests have actively been promoting this controversial practise in Europe. This past January, The Tyee.ca reported, “Former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach has been giving tips to the Ukrainian government on how to sell controversial shale gas development to a skeptical public… Development (there) has apparently been stymied to date by low foreign investment, complex regulations and environmental concerns. …Stelmach is not alone in promoting either the shale gas industry or championing Canada’s poor energy regulations abroad. George Eynon, a member of Alberta’s Energy Resources Conservation Board made presentations on shale gas regulation in Warsaw Poland in 2010 and Paris 2011. …Members of the Canadian Embassy in Poland have also promoted shale gas development. In addition Alex Ferguson, former commissioner of the BC’s Oil and Gas Commission also offered advice on unconventional shale gas production to European audiences. …Ferguson is now a senior advisor to Apache Canada. Talisman and EnCana, two major shale gas developers, have extensive unconventional gas interests in Europe.” [Emphasis added]