Green Criminology and the Shale Gas Industry in Quebec
From 2009 to 2014, the province of Quebec conducted an inquiry into the development of the shale gas industry, including two sets of public hearings arranged by the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE). BAPE prepared two reports on the results of those hearings, the first in 2011 and the second in 2014. It is clear from these reports that there was a great deal of controversy over the consequences of fracking on ground water resources, human health, and other environmental considerations. As shown in this paper, the legal framework of the province of Quebec does not seem to be well-adapted to prevent the damage caused by the shale gas industry or to punish those responsible for such damage. The principles proposed by the school of Green Criminology may help solve the judicial and social controversies that surround the shale gas industry. Green Criminology underlines the importance of criminal punishment for conduct that damages not only human health but also the health of most living things and the environment, even in cases where these activities are currently not prohibited by law.