While the world plans for a future without gas, an upsurge in new gas projects in South Africa is likely a “costly mistake”.

Despite South Africa’s abundant renewable resources, the government is also planning to increase gas in the country’s energy mix. The plan includes extracting shale gas.

There is no fracking in South Africa at the moment. This is due to a court ruling overturning the government’s fracking regulations brought by activists.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of drilling into the earth to inject rocks deep underground with water, chemicals or sand to reach oil or natural gas deposits.