The topic of this report will reveal the environmental injustice in Karoo, located in the Republic of South Africa. In this area, the hydraulic fracturing or fracking is being implemented. This is the procedure by which the shale gas is acquired. However the procedure is not as innocent as it looks like on the first sight. First they drill a deep hole in the Earth’s crust, than “fracking” fluid is injected into it. Plenty of water is mixed with chemicals. The mixture of this fluid is still not fully known. Companies dealing with this are Shell, Falcon, Bundu, Anglo and maybe some others not so well known. Residents protest but it seems that is not enough against giant companies. The biggest problem is the lack of water, which is now highly contaminated, in addition to the fact there is a general lack of water already. The Republic of South Africa is known as the 30th driest country in the world. Another problem is damaging the roads (infrastructure) for which the residents must take care of. In addition, a big problem is the leaking of the gas at the extraction. 3-9% of shale gas escapes into the atmosphere. This also causes global warming. The direct connection with the first problem is also the loss of biodiversity. Key decision towards the solution of this problem would be the help and cooperation from the side of the government. Civil society organizations have since started to form, which are trying to help the people and the environment. One of them is Earthlife Africa. People can help with donating money, which will be dedicated to the reduction of waste, help the people of Karoo and reduce pollution.

Fraking v Karooju v JAR

Tema tega poročila bo razkrivala okoljsko nepravičnost na območju Karoo-ja, ki je lociran v JAR. Na tem območju se izvaja postopek, imenovan hidravlično lomljenje oziroma drobljenje (fraking). To je postopek, s katerim se pridobiva zemeljski plin, katerega pridelava pa le ni tako nedolžna, kot je videti na prvi pogled. Postopek poteka tako, da globoko v Zemljino skorjo izvrtajo luknjo, v katero kasneje nalijejo »fracking« tekočino, katere sestava zajema zelo veliko vode, poleg tega pa še veliko kemikalij. Točna sestava te tekočine ni znana, saj podjetja, ki se s tem ukvarjajo, nočejo razkriti natančnih podatkov. Podjetja, ki se ukvarjajo s hidravličnim drobljenjem, so Shell, Falcon, Bundu, Anglo in morda še nekatera ne tako znana. Prebivalci tega območja organizirajo tudi proteste, vendar so dokaj nemočni proti plinskim velikanom. Prebivalce območja Karoo najbolj skrbi preskrba z vodo, saj je voda kontaminirana, pa tudi sicer je na tem območju ni veliko, JAR je sicer 30. najbolj sušna država sveta. Še en problem je uničenje cestne infrastrukture. Zaradi prevoza vode zemeljskega plina ter vode zelo trpijo ceste, za katere skrbijo prebivalci. Še en problem je uhajanje plina pri ekstrakciji, v ozračje uide 3-9% plina, katerega večina je metan in drugi toplogredni plini. To povzroča učinek tople grede, ki vodi v globalno segrevanje. Problem, ki ga opazimo pri okoljski nepravičnosti, pa je tudi izguba biodiverzitete, namreč  40%  tamkajšnjega rastlinstva je avtohtonega. Med zadnjim in prvim omenjenim problemom je neposredna povezava. Ključna odločitev reševanja teh problemov bi bilo prepoznavanje le-teh s strani vlade, ki pa je pogosto pod lobističnim vplivom omenjenih podjetij. Zaradi tega so nastale tudi organizacije, ki skušajo pomagati okoliškim prebivalcem in samemu okolju. Ena izmed teh je tudi Earthlife Africa, ki pobira tudi donacije, namenjene zmanjšanju števila odpadkov, pomoči prebivalcem Karooja zmanjšanju onesnaževanja.

Location

Karoo Basin, South Africa

https://www.google.si/maps/place/Karoo+National+Park/@-32.3079902,22.2222601,9.77z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x48a19b09120f8331!8m2!3d-32.3635505!4d22.5408447?hl=en

Environmental impact

  • Air pollution
  • Water pollution
  • Land degradation (e.g. drought, soil contamination, erosion and desertification)
  • Biodiversity loss – Ecosystem destruction
  • Waste, waste disposal, and toxicants

Other: High consumption of water

Ethical/ legal issues

  • Health and well-being
  • A clean and prosperous environment and a safe and pleasant habitat
  • Indigenous land, culture and rituals
  • Democratic participation to decision-making on community and national affairs

Information sources & materials

Contributor(s)

Vidko Rozman, vidkorozman@gmail.com, student of BIC school Ljubljana

Content repository

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