The rush to exploit shale gas reserves in the US – and now China and Europe – could help meet energy needs for a number of years ahead.
However, there have been warning signs that getting the gas – through a process known as hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" – has a number of negative impacts, including water pollution and land rights conflicts. What’s more, the extraction of the gas may lead to the production of more greenhouse gas emissions than coal.
Many of these problems are highlighted in this short film, produced by The Ecologist/Link TV, which looked at the impact of the gas fracking boom in Pennsylvania, in north-east US. The film is in English but with Chinese subtitles.
