Governing shale gas: development, citizen participation and decision making in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe

Shale energy development is an issue of global importance.

The number of reserves globally, and their potential economic return, have increased dramatically in the past decade.

Questions abound, however, about the appropriate governance systems to manage the risks of unconventional oil and gas development and the ability for citizens to engage and participate in decisions regarding these systems.

Stakeholder participation is essential for the social and political legitimacy of energy extraction and production, what the industry calls a 'social license' to operate.

This book attempts to bring together critical themes inherent in the energy governance literature and illustrate them through cases in multiple countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, South Africa, Germany and Poland.