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Fracking to Prompt Sharp Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Study Says
[An Nahar] Fracking is set to lead to a sharp rise in emissions of climate changing greenhouse gases, newly undermining industry and government claims that shale gas is a relatively clean fuel that can help combat global warming, an authoritative new study reveals.On Thursday, the United States and Canada agreed to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by almost half. The new study strikes another blow at the strategy of both the US and British governments to rely on shale gas as a relatively clean "bridge" from dirty fossil fuels to non-polluting renewable sources such as the sun, winds, waves and tides. Their policies are based on the fact that gas emits only half as much carbon dioxide as coal when it is burned -- but do not take into account the leakage of methane and other greenhouse gases during the process. When these are added in, studies show, shale gas can create even more pollution than coal. The new study -- led by a former director of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Civil Enforcement, who now heads the Environmental Integrity Project -- focuses on emissions from industrial developments spurred by development of fracking fuel.
Posted by: Fred 2016-03-20 |
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