Climate Action
Greenwashed Gas: A Fossil Fuel Industry Coverup
November 6, 2024
In a world that is steadily transitioning away from fossil fuels, gas and oil companies are pulling out their dirtiest tricks to maintain power over the energy market. They are doing everything they can to convince the public that they should view natural gas as a clean energy source.
The United States has become increasingly reliant on natural gas. Since 1950, the proportion of total US energy consumption coming from natural gas has increased from 18 to 36 percent. Fossil fuel companies have touted this as an environmental success, moving away from extremely dirty fossil fuels like coal to “cleaner” alternatives like liquified natural gas (LNG).
The truth is that when you take processing and shipping into consideration, LNG actually releases 33% more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to coal. The greenwashing of natural gas is just another way to keep the energy system running on fossil fuels, so oil, gas and coal companies can continue to rake in vast profits at the expense of our health and our planet.
Greenwashing is when a company uses misleading language, advertising, claims or comparisons to make a product appear less harmful and more environmentally-friendly than it actually is. A familiar example is British Petroleum Amoco, who in 2000 rebranded themselves as Beyond Petroleum (BP), and changed their logo from a shield to a sunflower. All of this almost childlike rebranding did not come with any significant or immediate change to their core business or the company’s climate-damaging practices.
Even the name “natural gas” is misleading, as it evokes a sense of safety and sustainability. In reality, natural gas is primarily composed of methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to global warming when released into the atmosphere.
Methane has a global warming potential (GWP) about 84-87 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making its emissions particularly concerning for immediate climate impact.
The burning of natural gas—like when you turn on your gas stovetop—releases not only carbon dioxide but also harmful compounds like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter (PM), all of which can compromise air quality and exacerbate climate change. Methane is responsible for roughly 30% of the global warming we experience today, highlighting the urgent need to address its emissions.
It is called natural gas because it naturally forms in the layers of the Earth, not because it is natural for us to burn it or because it is safe to use. It is intended to remain compressed in shale under the Earth’s surface, as are other forms of fossil fuels. This is the Earth’s way of storing dead plant and animal matter.
The Clever Marketing of a Greenhouse Gas as ‘Clean’
Fossil fuel companies are manipulating the way the public and policy makers view GHG methane. Greenwashing advertising campaigns market natural gas as an essential player in decarbonization.
Companies are looking to invest further in deceptively-named renewable natural gas (RNG). RNG is primarily made up of methane and carbon dioxide just like natural gas. The major difference is it is sourced from landfills, livestock operations, and wastewater, instead of fracking. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a process that uses pressurized fluids to extract oil and natural gas from deep rock formations. While the RNG method of collecting methane gas does not have the additional environmental impact that fracking does, the product itself is still just as harmful.
Fossil fuel companies are pressuring policymakers to include methane gas as a green energy alternative. In 2023, lobbying groups with ties to fossil fuel companies worked with Ohio lawmakers, convincing Gov. Mike DeWine (R) to sign a Bill that defines natural gas as green energy. Being defined as clean energy does not just change public perception, it also opens up opportunities for natural gas to benefit from subsidies and tax credits intended for actual clean energy sources.
Other countries also have good reason to allow and even facilitate the greenwashing of natural gas. With time running out to fill lofty commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, some countries are looking at natural gas as a misguided short term fix. This is why the EU too is defining natural gas as a green energy source. This choice spurred international debate, with Austria threatening to sue the commission for violation of their promise to cut emissions 55% by 2030. This change in definitions means natural gas power plants are considered producers of green energy in the EU.
Natural gas produces 270g of carbon emissions per kWh, which is well above the 100g limit the EU must hold to in order to fulfill their obligation under the Paris Agreement. Experts believe the EU’s choice could divert investments that would have otherwise gone to renewable energy back to fossil fuels.
Leaking Pipes
So called ‘natural’ gas poses substantial environmental risks as the warming effects of methane, its primary component, far exceed that of CO2. In the United States, gas pipelines often experience major leaks due to punctures or outdated infrastructure. These leaks have contributed an additional 9.7 billion cubic feet of gas into the atmosphere over the course of just 4 years.
Methane gas leaks are not found just along large pipelines, but also in the walls of people’s homes, often in kitchens. A Stanford University study recently found that in addition to leaking unburned gas when in-use, gas stoves leak methane gas even when they are off. The annual environmental impact of US gas stoves alone is equivalent to the CO2 emitted from half a million gas-powered cars.
Many countries now offer rebates, grants, or tax incentives to switch your home appliances or heating to electric or other climate-friendly alternatives. Electrification is the first step towards a climate-friendly energy system. Fully-electric homes have better indoor air quality, lower energy bills, and greater energy efficiency.
Health Impact
In addition to contributing to global warming, these gas leaks lower the air quality and create negative health outcomes. Multiple studies have linked gas stoves in the home with childhood asthma and respiratory issues. 12.7% of children’s asthma cases in the United States are attributable to gas stoves.
Natural gas extraction also poses significant risks to environmental and human health. Natural gas is extracted in a process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Fracking is done through injecting a slurry of chemicals into the ground to release gas from rock formations. Fossil fuel companies are not required to disclose to the public many of the chemicals used to protect trade secrets.
Of the chemicals we know about, studies have shown that at least 55 of the chemicals commonly used in fracking are carcinogens. Wastewater from fossil fuel operations pose serious risks to those that live near fracking sites, as mismanagement can cause leaks into the water supply. In Dimock, PA, residents were faced with unclean drinking water that they believed was caused by the nearby fracking site. After 14 years of denying responsibility, Coterra Energy Inc pled no contest to the alleged water contamination. The company is required to pay over 16 million to fund the construction of a water system and the water bills of the impacted residents’ for 75 years.
A single well for natural gas extraction can use up to 16 million gallons of water. With droughts becoming more frequent and more extreme due to climate change, the use of potential drinking water to pull natural gas out of the ground is not just wasteful, it is irresponsible.
When that wastewater is produced, it has to go somewhere. Sometimes, it is simply dumped into the watershed that people and animals rely on. In Ohio, Hardrock Excavating LLC dumped about 20,000 gallons of fracking waste in Mahoning River, violating the Clean Water Act. While it is illegal to openly dump wastewater into freshwater, it can be legally dumped into disposal wells. These wells have caused a significant uptick in earthquakes. From 1973-2008, there were an average of 25 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3 or larger in the central and eastern United States. In 2015, there were 1010. Natural gas threatens clean water sources and contributes to broader instability.
The Solution
Natural gas is not the solution to the climate crisis, it is part of the problem. Natural gas is anything but green. Fossil fuel companies are trying to mislead us, because they have very little appetite for a green transition to truly clean energy like solar, wind and geothermal.
For example, Shell has created a weak transition plan, with a major caveat that they intend to transition only as fast as society does. This gives the company an out to drag their feet on the transition and cash in on fossil fuels while they are still profitable. Oil and gas companies promise to be part of the clean energy future, but will only fulfill those promises when doing so makes them the most money.
Exxon has yet to be able to make a commitment to net zero emissions, instead outlining their “ambitions” in their Advancing Climate Solutions 2022 Progress Report. Exxon has added a caveat similar to Shell’s, that their plans are dependent on consumer demand and government action. Despite their lackluster effort, their CEO has publicly announced that “ExxonMobil is committed to playing a leading role in the energy transition.” So far, this so-called leading role has included a plan to double their LNG portfolio to 40 million tons by 2030. Notably, this timeline is progressing ahead of schedule, while they have failed to even obtain a permit for their plans to create new carbon capture technology.
A 2022 study found that while Chevron, Exxon, Shell, and BP have used terms like “climate,” “low-carbon” and “transition” more frequently in their recent annual reports, yet the companies remain financially reliant on fossil fuels. Fossil fuel companies are using decarbonization pledges to placate the public while they continue their business-as-usual approach, apathetic to their role in the climate crisis.
EARTHDAY.ORG knows that leaving fossil fuels in the past is the only way forward, which is why we have chosen Our Power, Our Planet™ as the theme for Earth Day 2025. Oil, coal, and natural gas have overstayed their welcome. It’s time we give fossil fuels the boot and replace them with solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and tidal energy sources.
Join us in our call for #RenewableEnergyNow by signing the Our Power, Our Planet Renewable Energy Petition calling on global leaders to phase out fossil fuels and triple renewable energy generation by 2030. Looking to take more action? Explore our Global Energy Map to see what different countries are doing to transition to renewable energy and watch our new reel, 6 Months to Earth Day 2025. Follow us on social media (IG, LinkedIn, You Tube, X and Facebook) and share our articles and posts to spread the message!
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