NEW research that will determine whether fracking will be allowed out in Scotland must be conducted by independent experts and not based on findings from consultants funded by the oil and gas industry, experts have warned.
The co-author of a new paper, published today, argues that Scotland can lead the global debate on unconventional gas extraction but concerns have been raised that government agencies may not have the staff or resources to conduct a truly independent probe into safety or potential impacts on public health.
The SNP has imposed a moratorium on fracking and other controversial energy extraction methods, including a technique of burning underground coal seams and siphoning off gas, while more research including a public health impact assessment is carried out. Environmental campaigners have said allowing unconventional gas extraction risks causing contamination and harming the health of members of nearly local communities.
While a public consultation will also take place, the Scottish Government has committed to taking an "evidence-based" approach when it finally takes a decision in 2017 at the earliest.
Professor Andrew Watterson, head of the Occupational and Environment Health Research Group at Stirling University, said the research could allow Scotland to become "world leaders" in the field, with no other country carrying out a thorough nationwide assessment, but said that agencies would have to hire new staff and increase expertise.
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has been commissioned to carry out a Public Health Impact Assessment, but the academic said that until recently, the only information it provided on its website about unconventional gas extraction was a Public Health England report he said had been widely criticised. He said that quangos, such as the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, may not have the appropriate staff with public health expertise to effectively feed into the process.
Professor Watterson added: "The majority of previous assessments have been conducted on behalf of the unconventional gas extraction (UGE) industry by paid commercial consultants. This presents a serious scientific, technical, legal, ethical and democratic challenge for governments. Communities can rarely afford to commission these assessments and may consider them biased when commissioned by vested interests."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is coordinating a Public Health Assessment on unconventional oil and gas as part of the Scottish Government’s extensive research programme. This will be an independent and critical assessment."
An HPS spokeswoman said it had a wide range of public health information available on its website and their links to reports by other organisations for information purposes only were not an endorsement.
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