That’s the view of one of the world’s leading environmental organisations after the UK Government licensed Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park for fracking exploration last week.

The announcement came as part of a nationwide round of licensing, which means exploratory drilling is now permitted in an area collectively covering around half the UK.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a controversial process used by some energy companies to uncover hard-to-reach fossil fuels by drilling down into the ground and then aiming a high pressure mixture at the earth to release minerals.

In the United States, the process has revolutionised the energy industry but has led to concerns about its impact on the environment.

The technique is controversial with opponents pointing to potential environmental impacts including contamination of ground water, depletion of fresh water, risks to air quality, and detrimental health effects on communities.

Last year, the Advertiser reported Helensburgh, Loch Lomond, the Peninsula, Cowal, and Bute lie within a broad area of Central Scotland which was identified, on a map drawn up by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, as an area under consideration for oil and gas exploration �‘; including the use of fracking.

However, Alan Reid, Argyll and Bute MP, this week stated ‘the only area of Scotland identified as containing shale gas reserves lies between Glasgow and the east coast. None has been identified in Argyll and Bute.’ He added: “Even if deposits were found, I don’t think an application should be granted in an area like ours which is heavily dependent on tourism.

“A fracking application could only go ahead if the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency were convinced that there were no risks to the environment from the application. Planning permission would also be required from either the council, the National Park or the Scottish Government.

“It should be noted that the alternatives to fracking will be worse for the environment by emitting more carbon into the atmosphere.” Speaking last week, Simon Clydesdale, of Greenpeace UK, says it is vital the national park don’t back down to energy companies.

He told the Advertiser: “With the new wave of fracking license blocks, Scotland now finds itself on the frontline of the fracking advance being pushed from Westminster.

“The National Park sits in an area that could be fracked, and energy companies will be eyeing it up right now.

“Scotland is blessed with enormous resources of clean renewable energy. Making the most of this will deliver benefits for the economy and the climate. Fracking is yesterday’s technology, Scotland should look to the future.” However, the park authority has said there are still several hurdles any energy firm would have to get over before being granted permission to frack there.

Fiona Logan, chief Executive of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, said: “We note that one of the areas announced by the UK Government as part of the 14th Landward Licensing Round overlaps with the south and east of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

“As far as we are aware, there are currently no applications for licences here. If a licence was to be granted, developers would still have to obtain all the necessary permissions before any hydrocarbon exploration could begin. “As we are the planning authority for the national park, any application would be assessed thoroughly by our planning system. Developers would also have to apply for other necessary permissions, such as those that are controlled and monitored through SEPA.”