Stop fracking in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Botswana

7/12/2015

By Roxanne Reid
The Botswana government has sold rights to frack for shale gas in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, one of Africa's largest protected conservation zones. Do you love the Kgalagadi as much as I do? Are you as outraged by this as I am? Read on to find out how we can work together to stop fracking in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Botswana.

The Botswana government has granted licenses to UK company Karoo Energy. Now you can add your voice to a petition targeting President Ian Khama of Botswana, Karoo Energy CEO Noel Lyons and non-executive director James Negaard. The petition declares that these licences were granted 'in secret without disclosing any information about the potential drilling licenses to Park Officials or Wildlife Scientists, both of whom are terribly concerned about the almost certain negative effects that will be felt as a result of fracking for shale gas'.

Fracking, as most of you will know, is the process of drilling and injecting water and chemicals into the ground at a high pressure to fracture shale rocks and release natural gas. For every job fracking creates, the petition continues, 'an estimated 1-8 million gallons of fresh water are used. Every well can be fracked approx 18 times. That means hundreds of millions of gallons of water will be wasted in Botswana for every SINGLE well. Botswana is an area that is already desperately affected by limited access to clean water.'

Botswana has admitted to prospecting for oil and gas but said there's currently no fracking going on inside the Kgalagadi - although in the same statement it admits that a renewal application for prospecting after December 2015 is being considered.

Read the entire petition here or simply add your name to those who oppose fracking in the Kgalagadi.

If you want the lowdown on exactly what's going on, there's lots of info in the petition, as well as in this article from the Guardian newspaper in the UK. Global Shapers (an initiative of the World Economic Forum) has also written an excellent analysis of how fracking affects national parks and communities and why it should be stopped. You can also stay up to date with developments by joining the STOP fracking our Kalahari Facebook page. [For balance, read the 8 Feb 2016 press release from the Botswana Government in the comments below.]

Let's sum up as simply as we can just 5 reasons why fracking should never be allowed in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Fracking needs water. Botswana will be wasting billions of litres of water, which is the most valuable resource on Earth. In this time of drought, we're just getting an inkling of how bad wasting water could be.
Animal populations will suffer from habitat loss, water scarcity, water pollution, environmental degradation, soil pollution.
Human populations will suffer from water scarcity, water pollution, environmental degradation and the host of conditions, disorders, illnesses and diseases that result when water and food supplies are devastated by fracking wells.
Commercial development in the park will make it much less attractive to visitors, according to scientist Gus Mills, who lived and worked in the Kgalagadi for 18 years. He says it could 'devastate' tourist income. He's also worried about the impact on wildlife in the park.
The Kgalagadi is one of the largest conservation zones in Africa; let's not open the door to enterprises interested only in making money, without caring about its effects on conservation.

Read the entire petition here or simply add your name to those who oppose fracking in the Kgalagadi.
And of course, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

7 Comments

Hannah Fischer

7/12/2015 06:09:46 pm

It would be a disgrace to have fracking in one of the most unique and spectacular ecosystems in the world. Botswana's reputation as a world leader in conservation will certainly fall if it does this.

Roxanne

8/12/2015 11:44:15 am

I agree it would be very sad, Hannah. We need to leave the last wilderness areas alone.

Daniel

24/12/2015 12:43:26 pm

Roxanne,
the impact of this is to ghastly to contemplate.
we have started a web page Stop fracking our Kalahari.
have a look at it and see if we can work together to stop this monster. we will surely be on this case. if we can assist your effort let us know and lets fight this.

Roxanne

26/12/2015 12:36:49 pm

Thanks, Daniel, I'm following the Stop fracking our Kalahari Facebook page, and shared the link to it in the main body of this post for others who want to keep up with what's going on. I'm saddened by how few signatures the petition has got so far; it seems to have stalled on about 1050.

Roxanne

11/2/2016 02:51:09 pm

For balance, here's a press release issued by the Botswana Government, 8 February 2016.

PRESS RELEASE - THERE IS NO FRACKING IN THE KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK (KTP)

The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism is concerned about untruths that are circulating in different media and forums, alleging that there is fracking in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP).

The Ministry responsible for National Parks in Botswana would like to assure all stakeholders and concerned parties that there is no fracking in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. There are also no licenses for fracking in the KTP.

The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism is also responsible for the approval of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) which must be carried out for all developments in Botswana to ensure environmental management.

This Ministry, responsible for EIA’s has no intention to issue any EIA approvals for fracking in the KTP or any National Park or National Game Reserve in Botswana.

Furthermore assurance has been given by the Ministry responsible for minerals that no approvals have been given for fracking in the Kalahari Transfrontier Park. It is a requirement that holders of prospecting licenses seek approval from the relevant authority before they can attempt to carry out fracturing. Such approval has not been granted to anyone.

It is therefore worrisome that there are those who continue to spread news that there is fracking in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, when there is none what so ever.

As the Ministry responsible for the conservation of our environment and biodiversity we are fully committed to the preservation of our natural resources and heritage which we have gone to great lengths and cost to maintain.

Tshekedi Khama - MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE AND TOURISM

Jeffrey Barbee link

18/2/2016 12:12:31 pm

For Balance? Have a look here at the overwhelming evidence. Balance is about weighing facts and this is simply a lie, as backed-up up by the extensive research that went into the original story I wrote. Much of which is here: http://www.enca.com/africa/botswana-dismisses-reports-fracking-rights-pristine-kgalagadi-transfrontier-park

Roxanne Reid

18/2/2016 09:47:16 pm

Thanks for your comeback, Jeffrey. I don't believe everything I read in a press release; the job of the press release after all to put forward a specific point of view. I just put it out there. Good to have your further comments. If you write a follow-up article for The Guardian, please come back and post a link here.

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