gaz łupkowy – monitoring, mobilizacja i partycypacja obywatelska/seminarium: gaz łupkowy w...

Gaz łupkowy – monitoring, mobilizacja i partycypacja obywatelska/Seminarium: ”Gaz łupkowy w Polsce – wyzwanie dla demokracji

PROJEKT WSPÓŁFINANSOWANY PRZEZ SZWAJCARIĘ W RAMACH SZWAJCARSKIEGO PROGRAMU WSPÓŁPRACY Z NOWYMI KRAJAMI CZŁONKOWSKIMI UNII EUROPEJSKIEJ

www.obywatelekontroluja.pl

An EU-wide ‘Brussels’ Perspective on Shale Gas, Food & Water Europe

Geert De Cock

Structure• US experiences

• Not without controversies …

• Lessons in the EU

• Discussions in Brussels

• Poland in Brussels

• Next steps in Brussels

1www.obywatelekontroluja.pl

US experiences


Not without controversies …• Carbon footprint of shale gas

• Water treatment challenges

• Groundwater contamination

• Negative impact on local air quality

• Industrialisation of countryside

• Fracking & residential areas

l 3www.obywatelekontroluja.pl

Map of local resistance in US


Regulatory catch-up with shale gas boom

• US federal government: EPA new standards to reduce fugitive emissions

• New initiatives on fracking chemicals disclosure

• Overhaul of regulations in Pennsylvania, Illinois, etc. underway

• Ban in Vermont and 2-year moratorium in New York state


Lessons in the EU from US experience

• France and Bulgaria banned fracking

• Moratoriums in (Germany), Netherlands, (Ireland), Lithuania, Czech republic and (Romania), (Denmark)

• Halting of activities: Sweden, Austria (and UK)

• Only 2 countries with interest in shale gas: Poland and UK

Diverse responses in EU!

Situation in flux


European Parliament

• Sonik report:

Calls on the Commission to introduce an EU-wide risk management framework for unconventional fossil fuels exploration or extraction, with a view to ensuring that harmonised provisions for the protection of human health and the environment

apply across all Member States;

• Tzavela report

[C]alls on the Commission and public authorities in the Member States, without delay, to check and, if necessary, improve the regulatory frameworks in order to ensure their adequacy for shale gas and shale oil projects, especially with a view to being prepared for possible future commercial-scale production in Europe as well as for

addressing environmental risks;


European Parliament

• Citizen petitions to Parliament’s Petition Committee

– Ireland, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Poland, Romania

• Main concerns:

– Immediate moratorium, at least until impacts are understood and better standards are in place

– Mandatory impact assessments

– Long-term liability

– No subsidies

– Groundwater contamination, water treatment & water shortages

– Use of toxic chemicals

– Land use / impact on other economic activities

– Fugitive methane emissions8www.obywatelekontroluja.pl

European Commission

• 2013 work programme: “Environmental climate and energy assessment framework to enable safe and secure unconventional hydrocarbon extraction”.

• Expert workshops (including NGOs)

• Public consultation – online (until March 23)

• Stakeholder conference


EC consultation

• Topics covered:

– Opportunities & challenges

– How to address challenges (well integrity, disclosure, monitoring, liability)

– Form of legislative response (voluntary – legislative)

• Important for ENGOs:

– Possibility to answer that “unconventional fossil fuels extraction (e.g. shale gas) should not be developed in Europe at all”


Poland & Brussels

• Long-standing opposition against ambitious climate policies of the EU

– Still no renewables law in Poland

• Defending broad interpretation of “right to decide own energy mix” (Art. 194 EU Treaty)

• Position that current regulatory framework is ‘adequate’ for shale gas

• Downplaying cumulative impacts of large-scale shale gas activities


Poland & Brussels

• Infringement of several EU laws, relevant for shale gas activities

– Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC

• Failure to implement river basin district analysis and water monitoring programmes

– Hydrocarbon Directive 1994/22/EC

• ‘First come, first serve’ awarding of licences not in line with requirement for completive tenders


Food & Water Europe / Poland

• Letter to Environment Minister (April 2012):

– Local water shortages?

– Air quality (flaring and venting)?

– Monitoring capacity?

– Revised liability regime (Fund, burden of proof)?


Food & Water Europe / Poland

• Reply (July 2012)

– Solid answers on water usage. Research on water availability

– No attention to cumulative impacts of large-scale commercial exploitation / focus only on exploration stage

• Study of 1 well “Łebien LE-2H”

– Little detail

• Where will produced water be treated? Which technologies?

– No need to hire new staff yet


Application of EIA Directive in Poland?

• European Commission:

– Only natural gas extraction, exceeding the 500.000 m3 threshold, requires mandatory EIA

– Shale gas activities by their nature require (always) an environmental impact assessment, i.e. mandatory

• Important because:

– Improved understanding of environmental impacts

– Baseline studies!

– Possible mitigation measures

– Consultation of the authorities and public concerned


Application of EIA Directive in Poland?

• Ongoing negotiations in Brussels about review of EIA directive

– Need for mandatory impact assessment of all unconventional fossil fuel projects

• New Polish hydrocarbon legislation exempts exploration wells up to 5000 meters from EIA

– Against the spirit of the current EIA directive


Conclusion

• Poland ‘going it alone’

– In contrast, Brussels and EU Member States engage in broad discussion about risks

• Hype about shale potential not conducive for debate about risks and impacts

• Key pieces of EU environmental law not implemented

• Need for mandatory EIA for shale gas projects


Dziękujemy za uwagę.Zapraszamy ponownie.

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Instytut Spraw Obywatelskich (INSPRO) ul. Więckowskiego 33/10790-734 ŁódźTel/fax: (42) 630 17 49e-mail: [email protected]

PROJEKT WSPÓŁFINANSOWANY PRZEZ SZWAJCARIĘ W RAMACH SZWAJCARSKIEGO PROGRAMU WSPÓŁPRACY Z NOWYMI KRAJAMI CZŁONKOWSKIMI UNII EUROPEJSKIEJ

www.obywatelekontroluja.pl

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