Risks of Oil and Gas Extraction in Denmark on the Economy and Environment

Oil and gas are the souls of energy. Energy is essential for human development, it powers our lives and the functioning of our world. Certainly, it is indispensable but it is also hard to obtain, consequently, its costs are overly high. Throughout the years, governments have been working on offering reasonable and affordable energy costs to their citizens.

The Fracking Method is a technique that has a lot to promise to this issue, being an unconventional way of obtaining oil and gas that can not be obtained any other way, because it has been trapped underground in the pores of a sedimentary rock called shale, it allows nations to empower their local industry, and represents a potential economic resource for countries, decreasing their dependency on foreign oil, prices, and unemployment, leading up to increase the GDP, hence, the economic growth.

However, as all methods of extracting oil, it is associated with numerous risks. Bad practices of the technique could end up in hazardous consequences for the economy, the environment and even the health of citizens. This is why the UNDRR assumes such an important role in this topic, being the one in charge of increasing prevention and developing measures during disasters to reduce the negative effects on problems like these.

Denmark has produced oil and gas since 1972 and has been a net exporter since 1977. The industry has had a major impact on the building of the Danish welfare state, granting the economy a great number of workplaces and significant state revenue. In the last few years in the country, energy prices have increased and authorities have shown a respectful position towards hydraulic fracturing, expressing interest in new ways of obtaining hydrocarbons, however, remaining expectant on gathering information about how to carry the method correctly and reduce its risks since the country is very aware of the environmental care and the wellbeing of its citizens. The country is very cautious with the industry, the exploration and production of these resources depend on licenses the State grants and companies must meet a specified number of environmental requirements, including measurements to reduce negative impacts, for them to operate.

Towards the environmental care, a healthy economy and the well being of citizens, Denmark considers a priority to preserve this conditions and create measures that reduce or eliminate possible risks that could alter its welfare state, such as technologies, like fracking, that are going global but have been proved to be unsafe. It is relevant for the country, to establish standard procedures that guarantee safety when speaking about hydraulic fracturing.

Denmark is used to functioning efficiently and aims to remain that way, so it would work towards finding tools that cooperate with the process not dull it. This country has been built by its trust. It is a very powerful nation for its size, and it has achieved it by its reliance on its people. The Delegation of Denmark trusts that working towards ensuring that this method is not harmful but reliable, will allow it to be accepted, therefore, become very powerful.