South Africa lifts moratorium on fracking

South Africa lifts moratorium on fracking by Reuters, September 7, 2012, News 24
Cape Town – South Africa has lifted a moratorium on shale gas exploration in the country’s semi-arid Karoo region, where the extraction technique of “fracking” might be deployed, minister in the presidency Collins Chabane said on Friday. “Cabinet endorsed a recommendation of the report on the lifting of the afore-stated moratorium,” Chabane told reporters. The cabinet imposed the moratorium in April of last year. … “Earthlife Africa’s position is actually quite simple: There is ample scientific evidence to confirm water pollution and the point that the water is at a shallower level than the gas is of indeed more concern both because of the potential break in integrity in the fracking cement lining and from the actual escape of the fracking water,” said Muna Lakhani, Cape Town branch co-ordinator for Earthlife Africa. Others have lobbied for increased and accelerated investment in renewable energy sources. “We do not need unconventional gas to meet growing energy demand in South Africa, as we have far more immediately viable and sustainable energy development options than shale gas.