Hedegaard: Forget US-style shale gas revolution

Closer cooperation between European countries and an emphasis on energy efficiency would be more effective at lowering prices in Europe than dreams about an American-style shale gas boom, the EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said on the 16 May 2013.

Speaking at the European Business Summit, Hedegaard called for “clever regulation” to drive innovation and for a liberalised EU energy market to lower prices, saying renationalisation would be more costly than European-wide climate policies.

On the 20 May, EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told to the German newspaper Die Welt that Environmental concerns over the practise of hydraulic fracturing to tap shale gas is meant to be on European Union's agenda during 2013.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background Information: Speech: European Business Summit http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-european-business-summit/

EUObserver, 18.05.13: Cold War politics hang over EU shale gas revolution http://euobserver.com/energy/120148

EurActiv, 20.05.13: EU energy chief says Brussels to look at fracking this year http://www.euractiv.com/energy/eu-energy-chief-brussels-look-fr-news-519844

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