Fossil gas is fueling the climate crisis, not solving it. On November 15, during COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, an action titled “Gas is Not a Transitional Fuel” sent a clear message: it’s time to phase out all fossil fuels, including natural gas, to protect our planet and secure a sustainable future.
One of the biggest myths in the energy sector is the idea of natural gas as a ‘transition’ fuel. At first glance, this may seem logical: gas appears cleaner than coal. However, a closer look reveals that choosing over renewables is a dangerous mistake.
Methane Problem
The main component of natural gas is methane, a greenhouse gas that warms the planet 84 times more effectively than CO₂ over 20 years. Methane emissions occur at all stages of gas production and transportation, with many leaks often going unnoticed. Large-scale leaks of methane, known as super leaks, were reported happened last year in Kazakhstan.
This leak was reported as one of the worst methane leaks ever recorded. Its environmental impact is comparable to driving more than 717,000 petrol cars for a year, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalent Calculator. While such a huge event can be detected using new satellite technology, smaller leaks often go unnoticed. Tracking emissions of this colorless, odorless gas remains challenging despite its catastrophic impact on the climate.
Javid Gara, Ecofront states: “Fossil gas is not cleaner than coal; this is a myth. Gas production and combustion result in higher methane emissions than coal at every stage. Methane emissions related to gas production are challenging to monitor and accurately quantify, and most popular comparisons rely on the 100-year global warming potential (GWP) instead of the more critical and impactful over 20-year GWP.
In scenarios targeting Net Zero by 2050, methane emissions between now and 2050 have an average atmospheric lifespan of less than 20 years. This means that every 1% methane leakage in the gas supply chain—from well to burner— raises the GWP of burning gas by 0.8 times. A leakage rate of around 2% can make gas dirtier than coal from an emissions perspective, a threshold that is difficult to avoid”.
Liquefaction and Transportation Challenges
To be exported by sea, gas is converted into liquefied natural gas (LNG). The liquefaction process consumes a significant amount of energy, often supplied by burning the gas itself, resulting in even higher emissions. Additionally, LNG carriers frequently use polluting fuels and lose some methane into the atmosphere during transport. Rather than serving as a cleaner option, this series of processes introduces new sources of emissions and pollution.
Gas is Fuelling War
Global dependence on natural gas also contributes to conflicts in EECCA countries. Since the outbreak of Russia’s war against Ukraine in May 2024, Russia surpassed the United States as Europe’s largest gas supplier to Europe, continuing to finance its war efforts through gas exports. Meanwhile, Ukraine faced the threat of widespread power outages due to attacks on its energy infrastructure. By transitioning away from fossil fuels, countries can cut off funding to the Russian military economy.
Avoiding False Compromises
Instead of switching to gas, countries should prioritize energy efficiency and shift from coal directly to renewable energy sources. Investments in fossil gas delay the transition to sustainable energy, perpetuating the fossil fuel economy, fueling war, and exacerbating climate emergency.
“We express concern about plans to reduce coal consumption through gasification, as replacing coal with gas is merely a temporary measure that extends dependence on fossil fuels,” says MoveGreen Public Association from Kyrgyzstan.
Achieving a 45% reduction in anthropogenic methane emissions this decade is crucial to preventing the devastating warming outlined in the Paris Agreement. Therefore, gas as a “transition” fuel is merely a facade for the continued reliance on fossil fuels. To avert a climate catastrophe, we must prioritize genuine solutions and avoid undermining our climate goals with false compromises.
