The Karoo hydraulic fracturing debate : accounting for future generations.
Date
2012-07-12
Authors
Yale-Kearney, Robinn Y.
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Abstract
The temporal complexities of anthropogenic Global Climate Change (GCC) force us to
extend our moral deliberations beyond what appear to be straightforward,
contemporary issues to include the interests of future generations. The Karoo hydraulic
fracturing debate is a case in point. The ethical debate thus far has focused on the
present-day environmental aspects of Shell’s limited exploratory drilling proposal using
hydraulic fracturing technology; but the shale-gas reserves that are believed to underlie
the Karoo could assist in mitigating South Africa’s significant carbon emissions, the
main contributor to anthropogenic GCC. Thus, I argue that the actual ethical debate is
whether to allow gas exploration over the Karoo or to disallow the entire possibility of
exploiting any gas reserves that may have been found. A consequentialist weighing up
of the respective potential harms to all of the morally-considerable interests involved,
including future generations, makes clear that not only is allowing exploration of the
Karoo the morally correct decision, but it is ethically obligatory to do so.
Description
Keywords
Hydraulic fracturing, Karoo, Gas exploration