Is gas a 'bridge' to renewables, or a 'gangplank' to climate disaster?

A natural gas platform in the North Sea.
15 September 2020

Over the coming months, you're likely to hear a lot about natural gas — the supposedly cheap and plentiful fuel that will power the post-virus economic recovery and help reduce our greenhouse emissions.

Major new gas projects are being proposed around the country, from Narrabri in New South Wales to Western Australia's north-west shelf.

The Federal Government is pushing gas as a 'clean' alternative to coal — the resource that will help Australia 'transition' to renewables.

In response, environmentalists say gas is not as clean as its supporters claim, and that, even if it was, it would still be too polluting.

They also point to the global oversupply of gas — there's such a glut that Australian LNG tankers are anchored offshore as buyers in countries like Japan and China delay deliveries.

Read the full article on the Triple J Hack website, featuring commentary by Prof Will Steffen

Updated:  15 September 2020/Responsible Officer:  College of Science/Page Contact:  https://iceds.anu.edu.au/contact