– Overview – 

This research project, headed by Andrea Olive, examines attitudes about fracking, energy politics, and climate change.

A note from the authors:

In spite of a long history of resource dependence and extractive activities, matched by contentious resource debates, protests, and community mobilization and engagement, there has been little empirical work that has aggregated and mapped non-governmental organization (NGO) activities in British Columbia. In this new project, currently in the pilot phase, we are investigating regional patterns in NGO selection of environmental issues, organizational structure and funding, and strategies of outreach and action. Our work aims to bridge gaps in knowledge on the patterns of environmental organizing in rural and urban regions, and offer insights into the changing nature of social movements and collective action in Canada.

This year, following public opinion surveys conducted with residents of Saskatchewan and North Dakota, this report was produced:

Olive, Andrea, Emily Eaton, and Randy Besco. 2018. Winds of Change: Public Opinion on Energy in Saskatchewan. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

This research project has resulted in two publications. Earlier this year, this article published, outlining the impact of oil development on federally listed species at risk in Saskatchewan:

Olive, Andrea. 2018. “Oil Development in the Grasslands: Saskatchewan’s Bakken Formation and Species at Risk Protection.” Cogent Environmental Science 40(1).

Additionally, this article published this year:

Olive, Andrea and Katie Valentine. 2018. “Is Anyone Out There? Exploring Saskatchewan’s Civil Society Involvement in Hydraulic Fracturing.” Energy Research and Social Science. 39 (May): 192-197.

Finally, from the author:

As part of a suite of projects on the governance of hydraulic fracturing, I worked with a team led by Jennifer Baka (Penn State University) to look at the contested regulatory landscape for fracking in the US.