Sustainability is a broad subject. It is not just about the environment, although this is an important element of it. Sustainability is ultimately about people, communities, regions, countries.

Sustainability is about choosing a path to development that guarantees future survival of communities in all aspects.

The current objections of the environmental lobby to fracking in the Karoo appear to be only focussing on environmental issues to the exclusion of the economic sustainability of communities in the Northern Cape and the country at large. Tapping gas through fracking will result in increased economic growth for the region and the country as a whole. Our current growth trajectory is mediocre, and fracking could be a game changer.

Cool, unselfish thinking is required to take this debate forward and help this country onto a sustainable growth and development trajectory.