Shale gas is seen by many as a cheap, clean and plentiful source of energy; a low-carbon ‘game changer’ helping us meet the world’s rapidly growing demands for energy and offering greater energy security. Its rapid rise has not been without controversy, however. Earth tremors, surface and groundwater contamination, and the effects of fracking on human and animal health are all high profile concerns.

New professional learning resources have been produced around the area of Shale Gas and Fracking.

Future Learn are running a four week course, Shale Gas and Fracking: the Politics and Science. You’ll be able to hear from all sides of the fracking debate with this free online course. Understand what shale gas is and why it divides opinion.

 

Published in December 2014, Public engagement with shale gas and oil is a report on findings from public dialogue workshops published on the UK government website.  This report summarises findings from a public dialogue which explored participant’s views on how to engage the public on shale gas and oil and coal bed methane. The dialogue, which was co-funded by Sciencewise, was designed to inform the Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil’s (OUGO) public engagement policy, inform industry’s development of a community benefits package and help stakeholders (from government and industry) to develop appropriate plans for local engagement.