Natural Gas Continues to Drive Down CO2 Emissions
Sam Winstel
Posted February 28, 2020
Some welcome news from the International Energy Agency (IEA) this month on global carbon dioxide emissions. IEA’s report finds that global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions flattened in 2019 – even as the world economy expanded by 2.9% – in large part due to the increased use of natural gas. And closer to home, the news gets even better. The U.S. recorded the largest emissions decline of any country, down 140 million tons (Mt) from the previous year. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol:
“This welcome halt in emissions growth is grounds for optimism that we can tackle the climate challenge this decade. It is evidence that clean energy transitions are underway.”
This is significant, and not just for our industry. Clean natural gas is integral to reaching domestic and global emissions-reduction and climate goals – a point that was made clear in the IEA report:
“Coal-to-gas fuel switching for power generation avoided 100 metric tons of CO2 in advanced economies, and was particularly strong in the United States due to record low natural gas prices.”
While rarely reported by the media or industry opponents, natural gas production – enabled by modern hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling – offers affordable, reliable and cleaner-burning energy, and remains fundamental to the dual challenge of meeting energy demand while protecting the environment. It’s no wonder that natural gas use is projected to grow for the foreseeable future, and as the world leader in natural gas production, the U.S. is positioned to continue providing leadership in emissions reductions.
While emissions from the power sector in advanced economies declined to levels last seen in the late 1980s – when electricity demand was one-third lower than today – this unfortunately isn’t true everywhere in the world. From the report:
“Emissions outside advanced economies grew by close to 400 Mt in 2019, with almost 80% of the increase coming from Asia. In this region, coal demand continued to expand, accounting for over 50% of energy use, and is responsible for around 10 Gt of emissions.”
But there’s a solution: American natural gas exports can play an important role in reducing emissions worldwide, allowing other nations to realize the progress achieved in the U.S. These exports have skyrocketed thanks to increased domestic production, with nearly 1.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas exported from just five export terminals through the first 11 months of 2019, all of which are expected to complete further capacity increases in 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Across the European Union, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions dropped by 5% last year as natural gas-fueled power generation increased by almost 15% to surpass coal for the first time. This comes as U.S. LNG imports continue to increase, according to the European Commission.
We’ve seen how natural gas has helped drive down U.S. and EU carbon dioxide emissions. Now, imagine the emissions reduction benefits of U.S. natural gas supplying more markets around the world. As the U.S. and its allies abroad work toward emissions-reduction and climate goals, while providing the affordable and reliable energy our modern societies depend on, natural gas remains the fuel of choice.
Frank Macchiarola, API senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs, commented on the IEA emissions report:
“Natural gas has fundamentally changed the global energy landscape, with this clean, affordable and abundant resource driving down U.S. carbon dioxide emissions to lowest in a generation. Our industry is committed to supporting continued economic growth and human development, while advancing fuels that deliver a cleaner energy future.”
Jessica Lutz contributed to this post.
About The Author
Sam Winstel is a writer for the American Petroleum Institute. He comes to API from Edelman, where he supported communications marketing strategies for clients across the firm’s energy and federal government practices. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Sam graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, and he currently resides in Washington, D.C.