Fracking with George Monbiot
First published on BBC Radio 4, August 2014
Matthew Taylor brings together James Woudhuysen and George Monbiot for a head-to-head discussion on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for the the BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Agree to differ‘.
During this debate Matthew Taylor explores points of disagreement, and agreement, around the controversial issue of hydraulic fracturing (or the more disparaging term “fracking”, as some would have it). Initially each set out a general position on the topic, then Woudhuysen and Monbiot are asked to clarify three points of difference:
- is this technology needed
- is it safe, and
- who will be the winners and losers should this technology become widely adopted
Over the course of the discussion, Woudhuysen and Monbiot did land on some points of agreement around the over-exaggerated risks, the aspiration to move away from use of coal, due to greenhouse gas emissions and that the balance for development needed to lean toward the greater good rather than on solely local concerns.
The points of disagreement were however more prominent and, despite Taylor’s best efforts to find common ground, strong points of difference were maintained – somewhat inevitably, given the very different underlying assumptions held by each. Disagreements on fracking quickly surfaced around the proper placing of transitionary technologies as we move away from coal. Other disagreements centred around the role of energy conservation, the types of energy that should be used, the mix of energy (e.g. nuclear, renewables, coal and fracking) and the quantity of energy demanded by the needs of current and emerging economies, populations, regulations, and non-urban areas of development.
Fundamentally, the underlying differences exposed in the debate related to the place of science, the appetite to take risks; differing views around conservation and a timidity toward the future set against bold innovation; and, planning for growth to meet demand against complacent inertia.
Listen to the broadcast to hear who argued what – and decide which way forward you side with.
Innovators I like
Robert Furchgott – discovered that nitric oxide transmits signals within the human body
Barry Marshall – showed that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is the cause of most peptic ulcers, reversing decades of medical doctrine holding that ulcers were caused by stress, spicy foods, and too much acid
N Joseph Woodland – co-inventor of the barcode
Jocelyn Bell Burnell – she discovered the first radio pulsars
John Tyndall – the man who worked out why the sky was blue
Rosalind Franklin co-discovered the structure of DNA, with Crick and Watson
Rosalyn Sussman Yallow – development of radioimmunoassay (RIA), a method of quantifying minute amounts of biological substances in the body
Jonas Salk – discovery and development of the first successful polio vaccine
John Waterlow – discovered that lack of body potassium causes altitude sickness. First experiment: on himself
Werner Forssmann – the first man to insert a catheter into a human heart: his own
Bruce Bayer – scientist with Kodak whose invention of a colour filter array enabled digital imaging sensors to capture colour
Yuri Gagarin – first man in space. My piece of fandom: http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/10421
Sir Godfrey Hounsfield – inventor, with Robert Ledley, of the CAT scanner
Martin Cooper – inventor of the mobile phone
George Devol – 'father of robotics’ who helped to revolutionise carmaking
Thomas Tuohy – Windscale manager who doused the flames of the 1957 fire
Eugene Polley – TV remote controls
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