The Social Health and Well-being Impacts Associated With Hydraulic Fracturing

In 2014, the UK Government announced they were, ‘going all out for shale gas,’ as part of the UKs need to change the energy landscape to focus on security of supply, economic benefits, (reduction of imports), the need to cut carbon emissions and further establish renewable sources. Subsequent licencing to explore for Shale Gas resulted in significant publicised protests concerning environmental issues. Published literature in the form of Case Studies and completed Health Impact Assessments, of which there is a paucity, tend to support these concerns. However, clearly absent from this literature, are the Social Health and Well-Being Impacts (Social Determinants of Health) associated with Hydraulic Fracturing. Data was gathered using an on-line questionnaire which was open for six weeks. The questionnaire included both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Ninety four respondents completed the questionnaire providing over seven hundred pieces of information and comments. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data sets. The results of this analysis indicate that the threat to the quality of life, environmental concerns and a lack of confidence in the governance of the decision-making process as key factors in the perceptions of the participants. The complexities of these themes were then visually described using causal loop modelling techniques. The research concludes that the public have a very negative and mistrustful perception of Government, Statutory Bodies and the Oil and Gas Industry. Frequently cited social impacts include, stress, anxiety, loss of control and negative impacts on communities including environmental pollution. The implications of this research are that authorities and relevant bodies need to pay far more attention to people and community needs when granting and considering planning consent and licences.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Grinnell, S

Contributors dc:contributor

• Alkhaddar, R
• Greenop, D
• Lee, D

• RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
• TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.24377/LJMU.t.00009919

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk:9919