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For a long time now the oil industry and its supporters have tried to claim that fracking is safe and often opposition is based on ignorance and not the facts.

Four months ago, the UK-based CHEM Trust issued a report and briefing paper on how toxic chemicals from fracking could affect wildlife and people.

One of the communities in the UK on the front-line of the fracking debate will have the chance to quiz their local Conservative MP, as well as representatives from various leading regulators, on the dangers posed by shale gas at a public meeting this evening.

There is a temporary reprieve this morning for the oil industry as the oil price has climbed one percent on the news that US drilling has slowed yet again.

The oil cartel, OPEC, has confirmed what has been obvious to many for months: US shale production is in deep, deep trouble as the fracking boom bursts in the face of low oil prices.

The US shale revolution is slowly grinding to a halt as the continuing low oil price takes its toll on the viability of fracking in the country.

The Conservative Government’s full-frontal assault on Britain’s internationally-respected planning process has become apparent this morning, after it was announced that Ministers will fast-track fracking applications overriding local councils.

The fracking debate in the UK is set to intensify this week, with press reports that the British government is set to announce the winners of a whole raft of new licenses that could see up to half the country opened up to fracking.

Just as the British Government slashes subsidies for solar power and gears up to open up large swathes of the countryside to fracking, a coalition of human rights lawyers and academics have announced an international tribunal to put fracking “on trial”.

Over the last few months on this blog, I have pointed out that barely a week goes by without new research raising serious health issues about fracking.