There are many ways in which you can argue against fracking on an environmental basis.
But one is really abouve all: natural gas is a fossil fuel and burning of fossil fuels leads to climate change. The costly investment on this harmful energy source is much more needed in renewables.
Unfortunately climate change science has been distorted in the media.
We're not going to get to 100% carbon-free energy sources overnight. Continued use of fossil fuels in the near-term is a fact of life. Natural gas technology is well developed, highly capable, and already economically competitive with coal and oil. If carbon emissions are an existential threat to humanity, to any degree, we would be stupid not to take advantage of natural gas in the here and now. Switching from gas/diesel/kerosene to natural gas is a >20% reduction in carbon emissions per unit of energy. Switching from coal is a 60% reduction.
And natural gas is also better for human health and overall environmental quality since the emissions are almost pure CO2 and H2O without a risk of acid rain, particulates, or radioactive fly ash. Being able to make such huge environmental gains in the short-term at very minimal economic cost is as much of a no brainer as these things get.
But one is really abouve all: natural gas is a fossil fuel and burning of fossil fuels leads to climate change. The costly investment on this harmful energy source is much more needed in renewables.
Unfortunately climate change science has been distorted in the media.