Strange happenings at a place that many people think of as one of Britain’s National Treasures: the National Trust. As we point out in our leading article this week, the Trust and their director-general, Dame Helen Ghosh, seem to have done a 360 on fracking.
Last year, Dame Helen had an ‘open mind’ when it came to fracking. But in an interview with the Guardian this week, Dame Helen revealed that she has turned her back on shale. She explained that the decision was made because: ‘We don’t believe anyone understands the environmental impacts, and because we as far as possible would want to avoid anything that encourages the continued use of fossil fuels.’ On its website, the trust reinforces this viewpoint, writing that they have ‘presumption against’ shale ‘because natural gas is a fossil gas’.
It’s not a straight ‘No’ to fracking, though; Dame Helen does go on to say that:
‘At some imaginary point in future, if all those [environmental] concerns were in some way met, it’s possible, but at the moment the answer would absolutely be no.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in