title: Considerations for the development of shale gas in the United Kingdom.
abstract: The United States shale gas boom has precipitated global interest in the development of unconventional oil and gas resources. Recently, government ministers in the United Kingdom started granting licenses that will enable companies to begin initial exploration for shale gas. Meanwhile, concern is increasing among the scientific community about the potential impacts of shale gas and other types of unconventional natural gas development (UGD) on human health and the environment. Although significant data gaps remain, there has been a surge in the number of articles appearing in the scientific literature, nearly three-quarters of which has been published since the beginning of 2013. Important lessons can be drawn from the UGD experience in the United States. Here we explore these considerations and argue that shale gas development policies in the UK and elsewhere should be informed by empirical evidence generated on environmental, public health, and social risks. Additionally, policy decisions should take into account the measured effectiveness of harm reduction strategies as opposed to hypothetical scenarios and purported best practices that lack empirical support.
authors.affiliation: PSE Healthy Energy, United States; Weill Cornell Medical College, 402 East 67th St. New York, NY 10065, United States. Electronic address: hays@psehealthyenergy.org.
authors.forename: Jake
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hays
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical College, 402 East 67th St. New York, NY 10065, United States.
authors.forename: Madelon L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.affiliation: University of Exeter Medical School, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Depledge
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical College, 402 East 67th St. New York, NY 10065, United States.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: PSE Healthy Energy, United States; University of California, Berkeley, United States.
authors.forename: Seth B C
authors.initials: SBC
authors.lastname: Shonkoff
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D059206:Natural Gas; D011634:Public Health; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D059206:Natural Gas
keywords: Environmental health; Natural gas development; Policy; Shale gas; United Kingdom