Many governments see the technology of fracking (releasing gas from shale) as a promising source of relatively cheap energy created within their own territories, and so reducing their dependence on importing oil or gas. Fracking has already made a considerable difference to energy supplies within the USA. However, many local communities are bitterly opposed to the potentially dangerous and polluting process of fracking taking place near where they live. Environmentalists are, in addition, deeply concerned about the impact of widespread fracking on climate change. So there has been a developing world wide resistance to fracking in 2013-14.