Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Fractured from fracking : examining the health and wellbeing implications of unconventional natural gas development in rural communities

Auteur : Mactaggart, Fiona

Université de soutenance : Technischen Universität Berlin

Grade : Doktor der Gesundheitswissenschaften/Public Health
 Dr. P.H. - 2021

Résumé partiel
Coal seam gas (CSG) is an unconventional natural gas (UNG) that is extracted from wells via coal seams, and reserves are found in Australia, the USA and the UK. Other UNG include shale and tight gas, which are sourced from different geological formations and utilise similar processes to CSG mining, and are extracted in Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. In recent decades, UNG extraction has grown exponentially, with hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ occurring across regional and rural landscapes and in close proximity to communities. Whilst major development projects can facilitate employment and other opportunities in surrounding communities through population growth and increased demand for services, there is evidence that negative impacts on health and wellbeing can outweigh any benefits.

Commonly referred to as the ‘resource curse’, when the costs of extraction and exporting natural resources outweigh the economic benefits, the expansion of CSG activity was often met with trepidation from local communities and the broader public. There was uncertainty around the impacts and consequences of rapid development, particularly in the USA and Australia, stemming from a lack of prior experience, mixed messages in the media, perceived lack of governmental support, and little empirical evidence. Presented with the opportunity to address the gap in the literature, this research explores the broader implications of mining activity on surrounding communities, with a focus on CSG and the social determinants of health and wellbeing. The level of community interaction throughout a project lifecycle is greater in CSG mine settings compared to traditional mining methods (like coal, for example) because of their proximity to communities, and so there is a greater expectation of the mining company to monitor and mitigate impacts on the communities in which they operate. There is emerging evidence that the extractives industry may play a more diverse role in regional communities than previously expected, but the pathways in which they do this in the health sector are not clear. Integral to the provision of health services in regional areas is the integration of services and partnerships – it is common for stakeholders external to the health sector, like transport, police or environmental departments to be involved in the planning and availability of health services. There is a dearth of scientific evidence of the ways in which the extractives industry interacts with the health system in the communities in which they operate ; what the costs and benefits of this interaction might be and how the relationship might be optimized to enable long-lasting health improvements.

Présentation

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