The International Risk Governance Council* (IRGC) published guidelines for unconventional gas development. “In this report, the IRGC examines the risks and benefits of UGD [unconventional gas development] and offers some risk governance recommendations to guide the deliberations of policymakers, regulators, investors and stakeholders involved in the public debate about UGD.” 

They defined eight risk governance recommendations for UGD (see the executive summary in the report) and made the following major process recommendation:

“An international platform on UGS should be established through which interested stakeholders meet on a regular basis, share knowledge about technical practices, regulatory systems and community relationships, and help stimulate continuous improvement. Although this recommendation is straightforward, it is crucial because practices in the UG industry are maturing rapidly and many of the existing regulatory systems to oversee UGD are undergoing refinement or major reform.”

* The International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) is a non-profit and independent foundation whose purpose is to help improve the understanding and governance of systemic risks that have impacts on human health and safety, on the environment, on the economy and on society at large. As a not-for-profit foundation, the IRGC relies entirely upon income from its network members and grant-making institutions, both private and public. Since 1st January, 2013, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has been the IRGC’s main funder, in place of the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research (SERI).