France votes to ban fracing

FRANCE has edged closer to becoming the first country in the world to prohibit hydraulic fracturing (fracing) after the country’s lower house of parliament voted 287-186 in favour of a ban. After the 11 May vote in the National Assembly, the bill will go to the senate for a 1 June vote. The vote follows widespread protests over fracing’s environmental impact and discontent that several exploration permits were issued by the government at the beginning of the year without any public consultation. Critics of fracing, which involves injecting water, sand and chemicals...