Camra rejects anti-fracking motion

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has voted against a motion to officially oppose fracking, the controversial gas extraction process that critics say can harm water supplies.

Camra said, “It was considered inappropriate… given the lack of clear evidence available, for Camra to campaign against fracking” (Photo: Camra)

Following Monday (April 20) morning’s news that the UK beer lobbying group would be debating the motion at its annual general meeting, it was yesterday voted down by members.

In a statement to db, a spokesperson said, “It was considered inappropriate… given the lack of clear evidence available, for Camra to campaign against fracking.”

Noting the “widespread concerns” about fracking, Camra said that the Government must address these issues before fracking licenses are granted, “to ensure that any risks to the local population and the wider environment are minimised and controlled.”

Fracking, the process by which a mixture of sand, chemicals and water is pumped into the earth to extract natural gas, has been a source of controversy in the UK, sparking protests from campaigners who argue that it can cause earth tremors and pollute water supplies.

However, this has been firmly contested by energy firms, who say there is no evidence to prove that fracking causes a risk to public health and safety.

The motion was proposed by member Roger Steele, who argued that fracking posed a “significant and real risk to breweries and beer quality”.

He said that there is a “threat of pollution of [beer’s] key ingredient, water, caused by fracking for shale gas.”

It was met with support from environmental activists Greenpeace, and the British Beer and Pub Association, which repesents the interests of large breweries, said it welcomed increased awareness of the debate.

Pledging an effort to “monitor any effect fracking has on the British brewing industry”, Camra said the it will “continue to work with other groups representing the brewing industry – such as SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers)… to ensure it does not pose a threat to the production of beer.”

The motion came after the German Brewers Association recently voiced its opposition to fracking. Earlier this month, the group successfully lobbied for a law prohibiting fracking in certain beer-producing regions of the country.