Addressing climate change and meeting our energy needs are two of the greatest challenges that societies face. Many obstacles hinder progress. The search for inexpensive and plentiful energy supplies appears to be at odds with climate change mitigation commitments. The desire for short-term (next 30 years) energy security has reinvigorated investment in fossil fuel technologies and led to a North American boom in hydraulic fracturing for shale gas (fracking). However, fracking contributes both directly and indirectly to greenhouse gas emissions, further driving anthropogenic climate change. Here we consider the implications and conclude that the expansion of fracking is incompatible with climate change mitigation.