Yesterday, something incredible happened. For the second time in just seven days, Lancashire county council said no to fracking.
This was a huge win for people power. For four long years, people from across Lancashire had worked tirelessly to keep the fracking industry at bay. And though it's likely that the decision will be appealed in the future, one thing is clear -- this was one of the largest blows so far to David Cameron's plan to force fracking on the UK.
Here's the email I sent to Greenpeace supporters after the announcement came through yesterday:
Hi there,
Amazing news -- Lancashire just said no to fracking!
In a resounding move that will send shockwaves through the fossil fuel industry, Lancashire councillors voted overwhelmingly against fracking firm Cuadrilla's plans to drill for shale gas.
This is a huge victory for people power. Fracking would be bad news for Lancashire because it could contaminate water and pollute the air. And it would be bad news for all of us, because burning more fossil fuels like shale gas could lead to catastrophic climate change. It's a win that will be felt far beyond Lancashire's borders.
In Lancashire, local people have been rallying outside county hall for days. But for the past four years they've run an incredible, grassroots campaign that's inspired so many of us. They've fought hard to win this -- and just last weekend, 65,000 Greenpeace supporters backed their local fight once more by signing an emergency petition to Lancashire council.
This morning I was in Preston. I was lucky to be there outside Lancashire county hall when the news came through and a huge cheer echoed through the crowd. People were hugging each other and celebrating -- the atmosphere was electric!
This is a victory for all of us - and a great surprise because councillors were under huge pressure from the fracking industry and the UK government to let Cuadrilla go ahead.
But over the past months and years, local residents, and organisations across the UK have campaigned to keep fracking out of Lancashire. We’ve signed petitions, emailed Lancashire councillors, and attended protests and fracking action camps. Today all that hard work has paid off.
Of course, Cuadrilla and other companies will keep trying to get fracking permits and start pumping chemicals into our soil. But we’ll keep fighting them every step of the way. And now we know the power we have against them, with each victory we will be one step closer to a frack-free UK -- for good.
For now, though, we can celebrate. Thank you - once again - for everything that you've done and continue to do.
Richard
Yesterday's result is yet more proof that when we work together to take on the fossil fuel, we can win -- even against the odds. So if you've been inspired by what happened in Lancashire, and you'd like to stay up to date on the ways we can keep challenging David Cameron's dash for shale gas, then sign up to join the movement here.
