How much is enough? Approaches to public participation in shale gas regulation across England, France, and Algeria

• Published in: The extractive industries and society 2018-11, Vol.5 (4), p.427-440
• Main Authors: Aczel, Miriam R., Makuch, Karen E., Chibane, Manel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algeria; Energy policy; England; Fracking; France; Hydraulic fracturing; Natural gas; Public participation; Public perspectives; Shale gas
• ISSN: 2214-790X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exis.2018.10.003

•This paper compares regulation and public opinion of hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) in England, France, and Algeria.•France has a more secure and lower-carbon energy mix, largely from nuclear sources. The country has a moratorium on 'fracking'.•England is in an earlier stage of decarbonisation and is attempting to develop shale resources in response to growing energy need and declining North Sea resources.•Algeria (previously a French colony) provides a majority of France’s liquefied natural gas imports, and is further developing its own shale gas resources.•Significant opposition to proposed shale gas operations has been evidenced in all three countries, yet impactedregulation most significantly in France.•Public engagement and participation is crucial in environmental decision making. We examine ‘fracking’ for shale gas extraction in England, France, and Algeria, framed from the perspective of level of acceptance by communities and general public. We explore the extent to which public participation in decision-making should play a role in fracking regulation, and evaluate whether the level of public participation matches the legal requirements. Our position on the adequacy of fracking regulation is from the perspective of the public dissenter, outlining a legal and normative basis for public participation in decision-making on fracking. We highlight relevant laws and policies to understand and evaluate adequacy of relevant regulatory processes. We offer strong yet nuanced argumentation, creating space for further discussion by academics, the public, regulators, local decision-makers, fracking companies and others. This is not a typical social-psychology, legal, sociology, or human geography research paper, as we take a position from the beginning: that the public ought to be involved in decisions related to the regulation of fracking, and argue that we validate our approach by supporting our claims throughout the work.