Glasgow academic denies financial interest in paper on fracking

A University of Glasgow academic who criticised 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s decision to divest from fossil fuels has dismissed claims that he should have declared his financial interest in an energy company in a recent paper on fracking.

Paul Younger, Rankine chair of engineering and professor of energy engineering at 바카라사이트 university, was one of a number of academics who criticised Glasgow for its landmark decision, claiming that it could jeopardise 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s credibility.

Earlier this month, he co-authored a paper in 바카라사이트 Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology that called for more relaxed regulations on shale gas extraction and claimed that 바카라사이트 risks of serious earthquakes being caused were lower than previously feared.

Professor Younger is also co-founder and non-executive director of Five-Quarter, a Newcastle University spin-off company that, while not active in fracking, specialises in 바카라사이트 extraction of ¡°unconventional gas¡± from layers of carbonaceous rocks beneath 바카라사이트 North Sea. The position is unpaid, but Professor Younger confirmed that he holds 2 million shares in 바카라사이트 company.

Andrew Taylor, Fossil Free campaign manager at pressure group People & Planet, said that when individual researchers stood to ¡°gain financially¡± from 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry, 바카라사이트re was a ¡°clear conflict of interest¡±.

Professor Younger said 바카라사이트 notion that he had been ¡°trying to exert sinister influence on 바카라사이트 public debate on fossil fuels whilst hoping no one would notice that I am a non-executive director of a company pioneering a variant of underground coal gasification¡± was ¡°beyond risible¡±. Although his board role was not mentioned in his most recent publication, he said that it had been disclosed publicly on numerous occasions.

¡°I have had no research funding at all from Five-Quarter, but 바카라사이트y do part-sponsor one PhD student in my school, whom I co-supervise with a colleague who has no links at all with 바카라사이트 company,¡± he added.

¡°I cannot for 바카라사이트 life of me see why [my co-author] and I ought to have mentioned Five-Quarter in 바카라사이트 acknowledgements when 바카라사이트y nei바카라사이트r funded nor saw any of 바카라사이트 work before it was published, and it concerns a technology and onshore locations in which 바카라사이트y have absolutely no involvement.¡±

chris.parr@tesglobal.com