Kim Kraska | Greenwashed gas: A fossil fuel industry cover-up

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 pushing hard to brand natural gas as a “clean” energy source, despite its role in worsening the climate crisis.

In the US, natural gas now makes up 36 per cent of total energy consumption, up from 18 per cent in 1950. Fossil fuel companies have touted this as an environmental victory, claiming liquefied natural gas (LNG) is far “cleaner” than coal. But the truth is more complicated: when considering the full lifecycle of LNG, it emits 33 per cent more greenhouse gases (GHGs) than coal. The greenwashing of natural gas is a tactic used 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 refers to the use of misleading language, advertising, or imagery to make a product appear more environmentally friendly than it is. A familiar example is British Petroleum Amoco, who in 2000 rebranded themselves as Beyond Petroleum (BP), adopting a sunflower as their logo while maintaining their climate-damaging practices.

Even the term “natural gas” is misleading; suggesting something benign, while made primarily of methane, a greenhouse gas responsible for roughly 30 per cent of the global warming we experience today. The burning of natural gas also releases harmful compounds like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, sulphur-dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter (PM), which can worsen air quality and exacerbate climate change.

CLEVER MARKETING

Fossil fuel companies are using greenwashed advertising campaigns to market natural gas as an essential player in decarbonisation. Many companies are now promoting “renewable natural gas” (RNG), which is mostly methane sourced from landfills, wastewater, and livestock operations. While RNG may avoid the environmental damage caused by fracking, it is still just methane, and its environmental footprint is significant.

This greenwashing goes beyond ads to policy. In 2023, Ohio lawmakers passed a bill declaring natural gas a form of green energy, opening the door to subsidies and tax credits meant for genuinely clean energy. Similarly, the European Union (EU) has classified natural gas as “green,” even though burning natural gas emits 270g of carbon emissions per kWh, far exceeding the 100g limit the EU must hold to in order to fulfil their obligation under the Paris Agreement.

LEAKING PIPES

Natural gas also poses a substantial environmental risk through methane leaks. In the US, ageing pipelines and infrastructure lead to major leaks, contributing an additional 9.7 billion cubic feet of gas into the atmosphere over the course of just 4 years. Methane leaks are not limited to pipelines but are also common in homes, particularly from gas stoves. 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, contributing as much CO2 as half a million gas-powered cars annually.

The solution to this is electrification of homes. Switching from gas to electric appliances can improve air quality, reduce energy bills, and increase energy efficiency. Many countries now offer rebates, grants, or tax incentives to help homeowners make this transition.

HEALTH IMPACT

Beyond its climate impact, natural gas also poses health risks. Studies have linked gas stoves in the home with childhood asthma and respiratory issues. In the US, 12.7 per cent of childhood asthma cases are attributable to gas stoves.

In addition, the extraction of natural gas via fracking poses significant risks to both human and environmental health. Fracking involves injecting a mixture of chemicals into the ground to release gas, many of which are known carcinogens. Leaks and wastewater from fracking operations also threatens nearby water sources. Fossil fuel companies are not required to disclose chemicals used in this process, putting local communities in further danger.

Fracking also uses vast amounts of water – up to 16 million per well. With climate change causing more frequent and severe droughts, this is increasingly irresponsible. Additionally, wastewater from fracking operations is often dumped into disposal wells, contributing to an increase in earthquakes.

Natural gas threatens clean water sources and contributes to broader instability.

THE SOLUTION

Natural gas is not the solution to the climate crisis – it’s part of the problem. The fossil fuel industry has little appetite for a green transition to truly clean energy like solar, wind and geothermal. ExxonMobil, for example, has made no firm commitment to net-zero emissions, just “ambitions”. In fact, Exxon is expanding its LNG portfolio, which is poised to grow to 40 million tons by 2030, ahead of schedule.

While oil and gas companies such as Chevron, Exxon, Shell, and BP, use terms like “climate,” “low-carbon,” and “transition” in their annual reports, a 2022 study found that they remain financially reliant on fossil fuels. Their decarbonisation promises are PR exercises, designed to pacify the public while they continue business as usual.

EARTHDAY.ORG has 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.

The age of fossil fuels is over; the age of clean electricity is here.

Kim Kraska is a media intern at EARTHDAY.ORG, and pursuing Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from American University. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com