Onshore unconventional oil and gas in Scotland: analysis of responses to consultations

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used throughout this report:

BRIA: Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) – is used to analyse the costs and benefits to businesses and the third sector of any proposed legislation or regulation, with the goal of using evidence to identify the proposal that best achieves policy objectives while minimising costs and burdens as much as possible. All proposals which may have an impact upon business or the third sector should be accompanied by a BRIA. Consultation documents are accompanied by partial BRIAs, which are designed to encourage comment by those who may be affected by the proposals. Once the consultation has been completed a final BRIA is produced, building on the partial assessment and information gathered from the consultation analysis.

IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations, dedicated to providing the world with an objective, scientific view of climate change, its natural, political and economic impacts and risks, and possible response options.

PEDL: Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence – is granted by the licensing authority and allows a company to pursue a range of oil and gas exploration activities, subject to necessary drilling / development consents and planning permission. A PEDL does not itself give any direct permission for operations to begin. A PEDL merely grants the licensee exclusivity over an area of land for exploration, appraisal and extraction. The exclusivity applies to both conventional and unconventional operations.

PPP: Preferred Policy Position – in the context of this report, the Scottish Government's preferred policy position is not to support the development of onshore unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.

SEA: Strategic Environmental Assessment – required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, a Strategic Environmental Assessment is a systematic process, which aims to ensure that environmental considerations are fully integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes prior to their final adoption. It identifies likely significant environmental effects and, where necessary, describes how these effects can be avoided or reduced. Through consultation, the SEA process also provides an opportunity for the public to express their views on proposed policies and their potential environmental impacts.