Europeans Cautious About Unconventional Fossil Fuels Developments

Lithuania and Slovakia are the only two European countries where the majority of companies and organisations endorse the development of unconventional fossil fuels.

This is one of the main results of the final report presented by the European Commission DG Environment. The poll was conducted on 222,122 individuals, 666 companies/organisations and 87 public authorities. The report is articulated in three sections: one reporting results about individuals' opinions, one about companies and the last about authorities. 

32% OF INDIVIDUALS THINK SHALE GAS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED ANYWAY

More than 37% of EU respondents think that unconventional hydrocarbons should not be developed, while roughly 29% would endorse the development in Europe only under the condition of proper health and environmental safeguards. The remaining 32% endorse shale gas anyway.

‘Respondents from non-EU countries have on average a more negative opinion of unconventional fossil fuels than respondents living in EU countries: 63.9% of them believe unconventional fossil fuels extraction should not be developed in Europe at all,’ reads the report in the section analysing the answers from individuals. 

According to the study, the majority of individuals in Poland, Slovenia and Norway think that unconventional fossil should be developed in Europe anyway. Those are the only three countries with individuals clearly endorsing shale gas, shale oil, tight gas and coal bed methane. 

‘Respondents from Poland are the most favourable to unconventional fossil fuels, with more than 59% of respondents believing that unconventional fossil fuels should be developed in Europe anyway,’ reads the report. 

COMPANIES ASK FOR SAFEGUARDS

Companies and organisations are generally more cautious.

‘The types of institutions most favourable to the development of unconventional fossil fuels are companies and academic institutions, with nearly 30% and 25% of respondents respectively considering that unconventional fossil fuels should be developed in Europe anyway,’ writes the DG Environment. 

The countries that registered the highest share of respondents from companies and organisations favourable to the development of unconventional fossil fuels in Europe anyway are Lithuania (3 out of 5 respondents,), the Slovak Republic and the United States (1 out of 2), Poland (more than 45% of 111 respondents) and Hungary (1 out of 4 respondents). 

‘The countries that registered the highest share of respondents representing companies and organisations favourable to the ban on unconventional fossil fossils in Europe are France (more than 90% of 83 respondents), Italy (8 out of 10 respondents), Romania (75.8% of 41 respondents), Austria (9 out of 12 respondents) and Czech Republic (72.2% of 18 respondents),’ reads the report.

PUBLIC AUTHORITIES: LOCAL AUTHORITIES LESS PRONE THAN NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Public authorities are then the ones less prone to pave the way to unconventional fossil fuels, unless proper safeguards in place. 

Less than 10% of public authorities would open the door to developments in Europe without safeguards. The majority would endorse it only if proper health and environmental safeguards were in place. 

‘In general, the respondents from national authorities appear to be more favourable to shale gas than the respondents from local authorities. In both cases though, the majority of respondents is favourable to the introduction of shale gas if proper health and environmental safeguards are implemented,’ adds the report published last week. 

Sergio Matalucci