ABSTRACT Youth perspectives on energy interventions are rarely sought or acted on in local and national policy, despite the stake young people have in the future created by today’s energy and environmental policies. The debate on unconventional shale gas development (hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”) is one context in which decisions taken today have long-term, intergenerational consequences, with environmental justice intersecting with energy needs. This study investigated young people’s perceptions and experiences of exploratory fracking and associated political processes in order to understand their experiences of environmental justice. In depth, qualitative field research was conducted with 84 young people in locations within 20 miles (32 kilometers) of operational exploratory fracking sites prior to the moratorium in England announced in November 2019. Data were analysed with attention to recognition, participation and distributional justice. Young people experienced environmental, democratic and social injustices through lack of recognition of their aims and values as both youth and members of a rural community, and exclusion from formal participation in decision-making. Young people saw economic and thus environmental power residing with industry closely tied to national government, and experienced a tension between desire to trust institutional authority and betrayal by these same institutions. We argue that this case study of young people in “the sacrifice zone” demonstrates a connection between depoliticisation and anti-politics, and that these processes undermine trust in democracy. There is a need for recognition and meaningful inclusion of young people and local communities in decision-making, particularly where the consequences of the decisions last for generations.

中文翻译：

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“这是我们的未来。” 英格兰的青年和水力压裂正义

摘要 在地方和国家政策中很少寻求或采取青年人对能源干预的看法，尽管当今的能源和环境政策对青年人的未来产生了重大影响。关于非常规页岩气开发（水力压裂或“压裂”）的辩论是当今做出的决定具有长期、代际影响的一种背景，环境正义与能源需求相交。本研究调查了年轻人对探索性水力压裂和相关政治过程的看法和经历，以了解他们的环境正义经历。深入，在英格兰于 2019 年 11 月宣布暂停之前，在 20 英里（32 公里）范围内的地点对 84 名年轻人进行了定性实地研究。对数据进行了分析，重点关注认可、参与和分配公正。由于缺乏对青年和农村社区成员的目标和价值观的认可，以及被排除在正式参与决策之外，青年经历了环境、民主和社会的不公正。年轻人看到经济和环境力量与与国家政府密切相关的行业存在，并经历了信任机构权威的愿望与这些机构的背叛之间的紧张关系。我们认为，这个关于“牺牲区”年轻人的案例研究表明了去政治化和反政治之间的联系，并且这些过程破坏了对民主的信任。需要承认年轻人和当地社区并使其有意义地参与决策，特别是在决策的后果会持续几代人的情况下。