·
David
Smythe accused of being less than totally honest over his credentials as shale
gas expert
·
Retired
geologist has been prominent in highlighting dangers of fracking
·
Professor
at his old university accuses him of 'pseudo-scientific scaremongering'
·
Geological
Society demands he stops claiming to be chartered geologist
·
Mr
Smythe insists he has done extensive research into unconventional energy
extraction
The retired geologist and former punk
rock guitarist has been prominent in highlighting the dangers of fracking and
last week helped to persuade a county council to reject an application to drill
an exploratory shale well.
But a professor at his old university
now accuses him of ‘pseudo-scientific
scaremongering’.
The Geological Society has also written
to Mr Smythe – who has the title ‘Emeritus Professor of Geophysics, University
of Glasgow’ – demanding that he stops
claiming to be a chartered geologist.
Glasgow University, where he last
worked in 1998, has told him he must not suggest that its academics share his
views. And Prof Paul Younger, Glasgow’s professor of energy engineering, said
Mr Smythe – who played bass guitar in the 70s punk band The Rezillos – was unqualified to give expert evidence on
fracking, having retired 16 years ago.
’He has published nothing on (shale
gas) in any proper scientific forum – no doubt because he knows he would never
get past peer review with his pseudo-scientific scaremongering
