Hydraulic Fracturing in the Karoo: Critical Legal and Environmental Perspectives explores a broad-ranging set of questions related to proposed hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ in the Karoo. The book is multidisciplinary, with contributors including natural scientists, social scientists, and academics from the humanities, all concerned with the ways in which scientific facts and debates about fracking have been framed and given meaning.

The work comprises four parts: Part 1 provides an international, legal, energy, economic, and revenue overview of the topic. Part 2 has a physio-geographic theme, with chapters on the inter-related aspects of water, geology, geo-hydrology, seismicity and biodiversity, as well as archaeological and palaeontological considerations. Part 3 focuses on public health, and sociological and humanities-related aspects, and Part 4 addresses the relevant laws, emphasising their implementation and the role of governance.

The underlying theme of Hydraulic Fracturing in the Karoo: Critical Legal and Environmental Perspectives is one of caution. The book emphasises the need for collaboration between the natural and social sciences and the responsibilities of those charged with the implementation and governance of the fracking enterprise if South Africa hopes to effectively manage fracking at all.

• Table of Cases
• Tables of Statutes
• Figures and tables
• Part 1: Introduction – law, regulation and governance
  • Introduction – Jan Glazewski & Surina Esterhuyse
  • Experiences from other jurisdictions – Louise du Toit
  • The constitutional and legal framework – Jan Glazewski
  • Regulating petroleum extraction: the provisions of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 – Lisa Plit
  • Environmental assessment of shale gas development in South Africa – Tracy Humby
  • The governance of hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo: a local government perspective – Anél du Plessis
• Part 2: Energy, economic and revenue aspects
  • The South African energy context - Jeremy Wakeford
  • The economics of shale gas fracking in the Karoo: what can the American Experience teach us – Saliem Fakir & Ellen Davies
  • Revenue and tax policy considerations – Lee-Ann Steenkamp & Jan Glazewski
• Part 3: Geohydrology, water, biodiversity and archaeology and palaeontology
  • Potential impact of unconventional oil and gas extraction on Karoo aquifers – Surina Esterhuyse, Fanie de Lange & Jan Glazewski
  • Potential impact of unconventional gas mining on surface water systems of the Karoo – Marinda Avenant, Marie Watson, Surina Esterhuyse & Maitland Seaman
  • Water quality, fracking fluids and legal disclosure - Alison Lewis, Luke Mcmichael & Jan Glazewski
  • Hydraulic fracturing, wastewater pumping and seismicity – Andrzej Kijko, Beth Kahle, Ansie Smit, Surina Esterhuyse & Jan Glazewski
  • The potential impacts of fracking on biodiversity of the Karoo Basin, South Africa – Simon W. Todd, M. Timm Hoffman, Joh R. Henschel, Anabelle W. Cardoso, Michael Brooks & Leslie G. Underhill
  • The internationally significant Karoo archaeology and palaeontology record: short-term threats and long-term responsibilities – David Morris, Bruce Rubidge & Jan Glazewski
• Part 4: Public health, sociology and humanities perspectives
  • Hydraulic fracturing in shale gas extraction: public health challenges for South Africa – Leslie London & Mieke Willems
  • Effects on communities: the social fabric, local livelihoods and the social psyche – Nola Redelinghuys
  • What does it mean to require ‘evidence-based research’ in decision-making on hydraulic fracturing? – Lesley Green
  • The scripto-visual rhetoric of ‘fracking’ in South Africa – Ian-Malcolm Rijsdijk
  • Making legal sense of a ‘sense of place’ in the Karoo – Loretta Feris
  • Planning perspectives: values, ethics and responsibilities – Tania Katzschner
• Part 5: Conclusion
  • Conclusion: looking forward – Jan Glazewski

• Legal academics and practitioners
• Environmental management academics and practitioners
• Geologists
• Anthropologists
• Sociologists
• Economists