U.S. government’s climate envoy said that natural gas could slow down global warming

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said that natural gas could play an important role in solving the problem of global warming. However, it will require the acceleration of producers’ efforts to control carbon emissions.

In one of his interviews in Abu Dhabi, Kerry outlined that an increase in demand for gas, and especially for liquefied natural gas (LNG), has been observed recently. In Kerry’s opinion, this type of energy source might be used as a transitional measure for reaching zero carbon footprint. 

On the one hand, gas has a smaller carbon footprint compared to oil and coal, and this is an advantage. However, it does have a carbon footprint anyway. In addition, methane leaks are quite common in the industry, which also have a negative impact on the environment. Many activists are against using gas, insisting on the idea that the U.S. government should abandon this energy source. But in Kerry’s opinion, gas usage for power production and home heating helps to reduce emissions by 30–50%.