One Step Forward, One Step Back: Shale Gas in Denmark and Sweden

Abstract

Denmark and Sweden take two-fold positions on the question whether shale gas should be developed. At first sight, it appears the governments are supportive by licencing exploration to domestic and foreign companies. However, Denmark has suspended issuance of new licenses as doubts of extraction activities have risen. Sweden was forced to give landowners and municipalities a say in decision-making, and there is a larger context of mining minerals policy controversy. Even though both countries only have exploration activities at the moment, and the economic promise is yet unclear, public awareness and attention are in-creasing and cause difficulties for governments and industry to proceed without open discussions and debates. Scandinavia’s green image is at stake as the new fossil fuel opportunities are in conflict with the ambitious goals for renewable energy development. Both countries now have to prioritise energy self-sufficiency and industrial economics versus ecological consciousness. Keywords: Denmark, energy, energy policy, fracking, hydraulic fracturing, mining, protest, public acceptance, regulatory politics, Scandinavia, shale gas, Sweden, unconventional gas