Fracking to go ahead (fullsteam) in UK

"The government has fired the starting gun on a reckless race for shale that could see fracking rigs go up across the British countryside, including in sensitive areas such as those covering major aquifers ..." [This includes national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs)]. Find the report in the UK's The Guardian newspaper here. Included in the report is a map of where hydraulic fracturing (fracking) may well proceed.

Fracking is also a grim potential in South Africa where, despite evidence of the environmental Armageddon to follow, fracking continues to be spoken about by zombie-looking politicians, as a "game changer", politicians who have surely forgotten what the earth feels like under bare feet, or the taste of pure water in the mouth.

Read the other side of the story on websites like those of Treasure The Karoo Action Group (TKAG). Shale gas mining is (1) unsustainable (2) water thirsty (3) poses environmental risk.

South Africa to get fracking

The State President, Mr Jacob Zuma, gave his state of the nation address (SONA) this evening. In the next few days there will be many responses but for now let us mention that the state seems hellbent on fracking in the Western and Eastern Cape.

We have blogged on fracking (hydraulic fracturing) before. See this December 2013 post.

Now, despite being hugely unpopular, the e-toll system was implemented in the business hub of South Africa (Johannesburg and Pretoria) late last year. Government gave the middle finger to business, NGOs, religious groups, consumers, the press, taxpayers, its own labour alliance partner COSATU, most people who drive cars, most people who don't drive cars ...

Perhaps it knows what it's doing? The point is that the state seems impervious to public opinion. If it could implement the e-tolls despite this being massively controversial and unpopular, the odds are that we'll be fracking sometime soon.

Fracking will be a "game changer" alright - let's hope for all the right reasons.


Read a related story from the Northern Hemisphere (France 24) this week.

Shale gas is one of the sources of energy on which you will find notes in the Energy chapter of The Agri Handbook. Solar and other renewable energy sources are looked at in a dedicated Renewable energy chapter.

Eastern Cape gets fracking

Engineering News reports that the first phase of shale gas exploration has begun in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It was launched by the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT). This despite the concerns and opposition of many citizens and experts.

Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) involves injecting millions of litres of water, chemicals and sand into Mother Earth at high pressure to free pockets of natural gas. Find out more, including the documented environmental risk, at www.treasurethekaroo.co.za . [Yes, the term "Mother Earth" is emotive, and so you know where this writer stands on the issue.]

On the same day, for the record, a solar company CEO speaking about fracking says: " ... the long-term repercussions on the economy as well as the effect on the environment and public health, may be staggering, not to mention the potential clean-up costs that will fall on taxpayers for decades to come".

Shale gas is one of the sources of energy on which you will find notes in the Energy chapter of The Agri Handbook. Solar and other renewable energy sources are looked at in a dedicated Renewable energy chapter.