Position statement on protection of environmental rights in decisions around fracking for shale gas

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a position statement calling for transparency and accountability in the South African government's decision-making process regarding shale gas fracking exploration licences in the Karoo basin.

• The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) opposes any fracking technology that results in the long-term contamination of surface aquifers, the introduction of metallic and organic pollutants into food chains and sensitive environments, an increased reliance on carbon-intensive energy, or the compromise of South Africa's carbon emissions targets.
• The CER asserts that the policy and decision-making process for shale gas fracking in South Africa has lacked transparency. Specifically, the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) have refused access to information requests regarding fracking decisions and the expert task team report.
• The CER claims that disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in the Karoo have been largely ignored in the decision-making process. Despite the CER and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa conducting workshops in 17 Karoo towns in June 2011 and reporting findings to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA), PASA failed to acknowledge the submissions.
• To improve the credibility of decisions regarding fracking in the Karoo, the CER demands the publication of the expert task team report, its minutes, and all submissions, followed by a 90-day period for public hearings and comments, and a corresponding extension of the moratorium on fracking applications.
• If shale gas exploration is authorised in the Karoo, the CER intends to use legal and democratic tools to ensure proper social impact assessments, economic valuations, and regulation under the National Water Act, 1998 and the National Environmental Management Act, 1998.

APA

Melissa (2012). Position statement on protection of environmental rights in decisions around fracking for shale gas. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/news/position-statement-on-protection-of-environmental-rights-in-decisions-around-fracking-for-shale-gas

Chicago

Melissa. Position statement on protection of environmental rights in decisions around fracking for shale gas. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2012. https://cer.org.za/news/position-statement-on-protection-of-environmental-rights-in-decisions-around-fracking-for-shale-gas.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Melissa |title=Position statement on protection of environmental rights in decisions around fracking for shale gas |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=13 August 2012 |url=https://cer.org.za/news/position-statement-on-protection-of-environmental-rights-in-decisions-around-fracking-for-shale-gas |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{melissa2012position, author = {Melissa}, title = {{Position statement on protection of environmental rights in decisions around fracking for shale gas}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2012}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/news/position-statement-on-protection-of-environmental-rights-in-decisions-around-fracking-for-shale-gas}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }