Sir, – The current debate on gas fracking in the Lough Allen basin, as well as raising concerns about the dangers to the local environment also raises fundamental questions about our dependence, as a society, on finite fossil fuel energy.
In recent years global oil production has levelled off at a time when growing populations and rapidly growing Asian economies would indicate an increased demand. This along with the studies of many geologists and scientists would indicate that we are at peak oil production and are shortly about to enter terminal decline which has the potential to cause serious turmoil to the global economy. Surely instead of draining the last few drops of cheap fossil energy to feed our addiction, to the detriment of our beautiful and unspoiled environment, we should prioritise an alternative low-energy and sustainable way of life? Is our fossil energy supply another bubble waiting to burst? – Yours, etc,