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

Footnotes

1. https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/preferred-policy-position-on-uog/

2. Note that the analysis of the responses to the addendum was carried out by the first author of this report.

3. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2018) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/

4. Scottish Government (2014) Scottish Planning Policy. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-planning-policy/

5. Community Charters provide a statement of what residents value and wish to safeguard in their local areas, and set out related rights and responsibilities..(See: https://www.communitychartering.org/.)

6. KPMG (2016) Economic impact assessment and scenario development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/unconventional-oil-gas-economic-impact-assessment-scenario-development-unconventional-oil/

7. CE Bond, J Roberts, A Hastings et al (2014) Life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from unconventional gas in Scotland. A ClimateXChange Report, Scotland. See: https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/media/1572/life-cycle_assessment_of_greenhouse_gas_emissions_from_unconventional_gas_in_scotland_non-technical_summary.pdf

8. As set out in paragraph 4.2, the nine SEA topic areas considered were: (i) air; (ii) water; (iii) soil; (iv) climatic factors; (v) biodiversity, flora and fauna; (vi) cultural and archaeological heritage; (vii) landscape and geodiversity; (viii) material assets; and (ix) population and human health.

9. The Environmental Report identified 34 'impact types' in total. (See Table 14.1 of the Environmental Report for the complete list.)

10. The legal ruling referred to here relates to a petition to the Court of Session (Outer House) brought by INEOS Upstream Ltd. and another (petitioners) and Friends of the Earth Scotland (interveners) against The Lord Advocate, 19 June 2018. Scottish Courts Reference: [2018] CSOH 66. See https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/default-source/cos-general-docs/pdf-docs-for-opinions/2018csoh66.pdf?sfvrsn=0

11. KPMG (2016) Economic impact assessment and scenario development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/unconventional-oil-gas-economic-impact-assessment-scenario-development-unconventional-oil/

12. The 2005 Act requires a statement to be published after the adoption of a relevant plan which sets out how the Environmental Report and the opinions expressed on it have been taken into account.

13. Note that the scope of the SEA is specific to Scotland, and the assumptions in the Environmental Report are therefore based on the regulatory controls currently in place in Scotland.

14. A further Direction was issued in October 2015 which confirmed that the moratorium did not include the drilling of boreholes solely for the purposes of core sampling.

15. The addendum to the 2018 consultation was published on 30 April 2019, and the consultation on the addendum closed on 25 June 2019.

16. Some respondents referred to: Concerned Health Professionals of New York and Physicians for Social Responsibility (2019) Compendium of evidence on the risks and harms of fracking, 6^th edition.

17. This states that the Environmental Report 'shall identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing – (a) the plan or programme; and (b) reasonable alternatives to the plan or programme, taking into account the objectives and the geographical scope of the plan or programme'.

18. Scottish Government (2013) Strategic Environmental Assessment. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/strategic-environmental-assessment-guidance/

19. Note that, the addendum explained that all existing regulatory controls had been taken into account in assessing the likely significant effects of unconventional oil and gas on the environment (in relation to both the 'Business as Usual' and 'Pilot Project' alternatives), and that the scope for further mitigation measures applicable to both options was set out in Chapter 15 of the Environmental Report.

20. Note that these licences were, in fact, awarded by the UK Government, as offshore licensing powers have not been devolved to the Scottish Government. See: https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/news-publications/news/2019/offer-of-awards-for-the-uk-s-frontier-31st-offshore-licensing-round/