Minister of Environmental Affairs to launch strategic environmental assessment of shale gas development, joined by the Department of Mineraal Resources, Science and Technology, Water and Sanitation and Energy
The Minister of Environmental Affairs will launch the commission of a strategic environmental assessment of shale gas development in South Africa. The Minister will be joined by representatives from the Departments of Water & Sanitation, Mineral Resources, Energy, and Science & Technology.
The aim of the strategic environmental assessment is to provide an integrated assessment and decision-making framework to enable South Africa to establish effective policy, legislation and sustainability conditions under which shale gas development could occur. The SEA will consider both the exploration and production related activities of shale gas development across different scenarios in a holistic and integrated manner; and will include an assessment of all the material social, economic and biophysical risks and opportunities associated with the industry.
The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) will be undertaken by a ‘science council consortium’, consisting of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the Council for Geosciences (CGS).
The study area will include regions of the Karoo Basin which currently have exploration rights applications pending in the Northern, Eastern and Western Cape provinces.
Media are invited to the media briefing as follows:
Pretoria:
Date: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Venue: GCIS Media Room, Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Frances Baard Street (corner Festival Street),
Hatfield, Pretoria
Time: 08h00 – 09h30
Cape Town via video link
Date: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Venue: GCIS media room, Parliament, Cape Town
Time: 08h00 – 09h30
To RSVP contact:
Pretoria:
Janine Mqulwana (nee Hambury)
Cell: 082 643 1609
E-mail: ujmqulwana@environment.gov.za / deamedia@environment.gov.za
Cape Town:
Ernest Mulibana
Cell: 082 263 7372
E-mail: emulibana@environment.gov.za
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
