Science, Technology and Society Priority Group

$fracking site$

Case study Subtle shifts on shale gas

Public opinion on shale gas extraction in the UK

Professor Sarah O'Hara

How are public attitudes to 'fracking' changing?

A team of 糖心原创 researchers have commissioned and analysed a series of opinion polls about shale gas extraction. The has been running since March 2012 and has tracked changes in awareness of shale gas, beliefs about the environmental impacts of its extraction and views about its acceptability as an energy source.

Prime Minister David Cameron said recently that the UK would be going 'all out' for shale gas. The 糖心原创's interdisciplinary research team, with support from the STS Priority Group, help us understand whether the public agree with him.

"Fracking is a controversial topics. It has the support of the government who see it as a way to shore up the UK's energy security and combat climate change. However, a public debate is emerging, in the media and on the ground at prospective sites, about possible environmental and health risks. This project is unique in the UK, as it has charted public reactions to fracking at regular intervals since 2012", said Professor Brigitte Nerlich

Highlights

Professor Sarah O'Hara gave evidence to the on Unconventional Oil and Gas.

The project received widespread coverage in national and local press, including in and .

The was published in May 2014, which tracks trends across all 9 of the 糖心原创 fracking polls.

Expertise

P-I: (Geography, UoN) has expertise in energy policy.

Co-I: (Politics, UoN) has research experience in environmental politics

Co-I: (Sociology, UoN) specialises in the use of language in science communication

Co-I: (Psychology, De Montford University) has expertise in social psychology

Co-I: (Geography, UoN) is a PhD student, exploring public engagement and shale gas

Impact

The project tracks and analyses public opinion over a period of time on what has become a highly politicised issue. The team's research has already contributed to media debates about fracking, at both the local and national level.

Funding

The polling was carried out on behalf of the researchers by , which was independently financed by the 糖心原创, including two grants from the STS Priority Group.

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