On 25th September, 2014, the North Atlantic Group of the European Geological Surveys published their concerns on the socio-political consequences of misleading media reports on the exploration and exploitation of raw materials. Above all their concerns are with regard to shale gas as an option for domestic energy supply. In their Copenhagen Declaration on the ‚Provision of Data for National Shale Gas Assessments’, the Geological Surveys are critical of some reporting; they feel that scientific results and conclusions are often short-changed or ignored. In particular they highlight concern that their expertise may be excluded from future decision making on raw material supply.

„When critics, in connection with fracking, speak of an uncontrollable high-risk technology, from a scientific perspective this is simply wrong.“ states the President of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Kümpel. In the Declaration, together with his colleagues from England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the Netherlands,  Kümpel refers to the fact that State Geological Surveys are national specialist authorities, the keepers of the majority of necessary data and information with regard to a country’s sub-surface. The Surveys are best-equipped to be objective neutral decision-makers when it comes to georesource estimation exercises, and can also inform on the environmental risks from potential raw energy sources, for example shale gas. Kümpel: „The expertise of our geoscientists is necessary, in order to correctly assess opportunities and risks.“

Source: excerpt from BGR press release