The widespread use of natural gas will not help slow down climate change
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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Although the combustion of natural gas produces much less carbon dioxide than coal, a new study has shown that a wider use of natural gas will not significantly slow down climate change.
Tom Wigley, a senior researcher at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research, stresses how complex and sometimes contradictory is the way fossil fuel affects the Earth's climate. Together with carbon dioxide, burnt coal emits a large amount of sulfates and other particles, which, although damaging the environment, slightly cool the planet, blocking sunlight.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that it is unclear what is the leakage of methane during operations with natural gas (methane is an especially powerful greenhouse gas).
Computer simulations conducted by Mr. Wigley showed that a 50 percent reduction in the use of coal and a corresponding increase in the use of natural gas in the next 40 years will push the global temperature by less than 0.1 ° C. Then the emphasis on natural gas will gradually reduce the rate of global warming, but insignificantly compared to the predicted heating of the planet by 3 ° C by 2100, provided that current trends in energy are preserved.
If the amount of methane leak during the accompanying operations is kept at a level of 2%, warming will be reduced by about 0.1 ° C by 2100. With zero leakage, the indicator will be 0.1-0.2 ° C. If the leakage reaches 10% (the most pessimistic option), the use of natural gas will not have any impact on global warming until the year 2140.
"Whatever the level of methane leakage, it is impossible to avoid additional warming, because you refuse coal and refuse to release sulphates and other aerosols," emphasizes Mr. Wigley.
In all cases of leakage, the relative cooling effect of natural gas will be manifested in the XXII century, but will be just as minimal.