Fracking in Europe: all in or nothing.

摘要

Not exactly all of the European countries are in favor of fracking. Specifically, the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Germany is not on the same team. According to the country's Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks, the German government will impose regulations on hydraulic fracturing that will be "the strictest that ever existed." Specifically, the rules will ban fracking of shale formations and coal beds at depths not exceeding three kilometers (1.8 miles), and ban it entirely and at any depth in water protected areas. Fracking will be allowed for research purposes, though only using fluids that do not pose a threat to groundwater, and fracking for tight gas, which has been ongoing in Germany since the 1960s, will be allowed but under tighter restrictions than previously. "Fracking for shale and coal bed gas for economic reasons won't be possible in Germany for the foreseeable future," said the ministers in a letter to Social Democrat party officials. The actual legislation has yet to be drafted, much less approved, but the government reportedly plans to have the restrictions in place before the end of the year. Plans are for the new rules to be revisited in 2021.