LNG exports: America's hidden 'climate bomb' - Canary Media
LNG exports: America’s hidden 'climate bomb' | Canary Media
Podcast
LNG exports: America’s hidden ‘climate bomb’
If left unchecked, U.S. emissions from liquefied natural gas exports could rival those of the entire continent of Europe.
On The Carbon Copy podcast this week:
In less than a decade, America has become the world’s top exporter of liquefied natural gas.
In the mid-2000s, the U.S. was building terminals to import more fossil gas. But that all changed after the fracking boom unlocked vast reserves of hydrocarbons.
The U.S. became a net exporter in 2017. Then, Russia’s war on Ukraine forced a scramble for new supplies of gas in Europe — and American companies stepped in.
The consequence: a historic push for new terminals, a vast new source of heat-trapping gases that could wipe out U.S. climate gains, and a growing conflict over how the government approves new LNG infrastructure.
We’re joined by Bill McKibben, author, organizer and founder of Third Act; Nicole Pollack, a contributing writer at Canary Media; and Jeremy Symons, analyst, political strategist and principal at Symons Public Affairs.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Canary Media: Nicole Pollack’s deep dive into the controversies over FERC approval of LNG exports
New Yorker: Bill McKibben’s article on Robert Howarth’s latest research on LNG emissions
Jeremy Symons’ recent research on how LNG exports are causing US emissions to rise
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Related Knowledge Center: Liquefied natural gas
Driven by plentiful natural gas produced from shale plays, the United States began exporting liquefied natural gas in 2016 when the Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana opened and shipped its first cargo. Since then, additional capacity, or trains, have been added to Sabine Pass, and terminals have become operational in Cameron Parish, La.; Hackberry, La.; Cove Point, Md.; and Corpus Christi, Texas. The Energy Information Administration projects that U.S. LNG export capacity will reach 8.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by the end of 2019, making it the third largest in the world, behind Australia and Qatar. The tariff war with China has the potential to impact some final investment decisions for additional terminals in the coming months.