The UK government is “open to the idea of fracking” as long as it is done in a safe and sustainable way, a minister said on Wednesday as the government seeks alternative energy sources to substitute Russian hydrocarbons. The government imposed a moratorium on shale gas mining in England in 2019 after two minor earthquakes were attributed to fracking operations. But there have been calls from Conservative lawmakers for the ban to be lifted to alleviate the acute energy crisis that has been going on since last year. The calls have grown louder since Russia invaded Ukraine last month, prompting the UK government to commit on Tuesday to phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of the year. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told the House of Commons on Wednesday that the government’s position “has always been the same—if it can be done in a safe and sustainable way, …
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