Climate crisis and gas

It is estimated that approximately 75% of greenhouse gases contributing to the climate crisis originate from the utilisation of fossil fuels. The use of coal, oil and gas is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, with varying degrees of impact. Fossil fuels account for 90% of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. In 2022, gas accounted for 23.1% of the global energy supply. Following oil and coal, gas was the third most utilised source of energy. In the same year, gas was responsible for 21.3% of greenhouse gas emissions from fuel combustion. When combusted, gas emits fewer air pollutants and fewer greenhouse gases than oil and coal. However, methane, which makes up the bulk of gas, is a potent greenhouse gas. Furthermore, the promotion of gas as a ‘green’ energy source was influenced by its historical use in the fight against air pollution, specifically against coal and fuel oil. It is notable that the impact of gas on the climate crisis is generally absent from these promotional materials. Furthermore, gas extraction results in considerable water pollution, which can potentially lead to soil and water contamination if the contaminated water is not properly stored and treated.

It is important to note that gas can be released into the environment during the extraction, storage and transportation. It should be noted that the process of oil extraction can also result in methane leaks. This results in the release of methane, which has a greater greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere. In its report on Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that methane has a global warming impact 34 times greater than that of CO2. 

The Global Warming Potential (GWP) indicator is utilised to demonstrate the impact of varying greenhouse gases on the climate crisis. Carbon dioxide is used as a reference gas, with a 100-year GWP of 1. The International Energy Agency compares methane and CO₂ based on IPCC data, as follows: The IPCC has stated that the GWP for methane is between 84 and 87 for a 20-year period and between 28 and 36 for a 100-year period. This indicates that one tonne of methane can be considered equivalent to 28 to 36 tonnes of CO₂ in terms of its 100-year impact.

Methane can also be produced by the decomposition of organic waste, which is why many landfills have biogas plants that burn methane to produce electricity. The same plants can also be utilised for the generation of electricity from animal waste.

Given that gas is one of the three main fossil fuels, there is a common assertion that its use should be discontinued in order to achieve the climate targets set out in the Paris Agreement. CAN Europe (European Climate Action Network), which represents numerous non-governmental organisations, has formally requested the European Union to phase out coal by 2030, gas by 2035 and oil by 2040.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has stated that, provided governments fulfil their commitments, the temperature rise will reach 1.7 degrees Celsius by 2050 and oil and gas demand will be 45 per cent lower than today. Should the 1.5-degree target and the net zero target for 2050 be met, it is estimated that oil and gas consumption will decline by 75 per cent.