No to Shannon LNG terminal

Since 2008, Shannon LNG have held planning permission to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in northern Kerry. The terminal was never built, but now the company are looking to get an extension of the planning permission. We are calling on An Bord Pleanála to deny that extension, because LNG is not the right step for Ireland’s future.

Liquefied natural gas is fossil gas which has been turned into a liquid so that it may be transported. It is highly flammable and very dangerous to the local environment [i]. The coastal area surrounding the proposed site for the LNG terminal is a Special Protected Area with a large population of waterbirds [ii]. An LNG terminal would be a huge threat to the biodiversity of this beautiful area.

The LNG processed at this terminal will most likely be fracked gas imported from other countries, such as the US. Ireland banned fracking because of the devastating impact it holds for both people and wildlife [iii]. We cannot now profit from the exploitation of other communities at the hands of the fracking industry.

Importing LNG and increasing our dependence on fossil gas is the wrong direction for Ireland. The planned Shannon LNG terminal would import twice as much gas as we currently use [iv]. If we want to prevent catastrophic global warming, we need to transition away from fossil fuels now. Europe can only afford to burn gas at current levels for 9 more years [v]. If we build LNG terminals with a life span of 30 years or more, it will be very difficult to ensure the necessary transition to renewable energies. We need to take a stand and say no to investment in new forms of fossil fuel infrastructure, and focus on creating a safe and sustainable future for all.

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[i] Associated Press in Plymouth, Washington. ‘Five workers hurt after natural gas plant explosion in Washington state’. The Guardian. 1 April 2014. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/01/five-injured-natural-gas-plant-explosion-washington].
[ii] National Parks and Wildlife Service, [https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/spa/004077] .
[iii] The Irish Times, ‘Ireland joins France, Germany and Bulgaria in banning fracking’ [https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/ireland-joins-france-germany-and-bulgaria-in-banning-fracking-1.3137095].
[iv] European Commission. Projects of Common Interest. PCI 5.3 – Shannon LNG Terminal and connecting pipeline. [http://www.lngworldshipping.com/news/view,northwest-europe-ponders-new-deepsea-lngimport-capacity_47036.htm https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/pci_5_3_en_2015.pdf]
[v] Kevin Anderson and John Broderick, Natural Gas and Climate Change (2017).