IEA criticised for natural gas report

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is facing criticism over its comment that we are in a ‘golden age’ of gas. Natural gas is an expanding market, and could be 50 per cent larger by 2035, especially if shale gas extraction problems are overcome.

The report mentions only in the last paragraph that this rise would be ‘inconsistent’ with limiting global temperature rise to two degrees. Critics say the report glorifies the use of fossil fuels and does not mention the environmental problems associated with gas either early enough or in general.

The gas industry has grown rapidly over the last few years, powered by its ‘clean’ credentials. It is true that natural gas burns cleaner, emitting less localised air pollution and avoiding problems caused by coal such as acid rain. It’s potential to reduce carbon emissions is limited however. Some claim gas has a significant improvement over other fossil fuels, but it does not offer enough of a saving in terms of emissions to meet the required emissions reductions the worlds economy will need to keep temperatures below two degrees.

Gas is also blamed for limiting investment in renewables, "The IEA should be making that top priority not hyping the prospects for the gas industry. If we get a boom in gas that'll starve investment from the clean energy sources we really need," says Tony Bosworth of Friends of the Earth.

Gas has become a hot topic recently with the advent of fracking. It has potentially damaging impacts on the local environment, and also possibly emits more greenhouse gasses than conventional fossil fuels.

The IEA however, have given much more tempered feedback on the issue. IEA chief economist Faith Birol says, "We are not saying that it will be a golden age for humanity - we are saying it will be a golden age for gas, but only if problems with fracking are overcome. I see communities who seem to me to have legitimate concerns about water pollution, land use and flaring. These will be a roadblock to shale gas unless governments can impose best practice in a clear and transparent way.

She continues, "We see in some countries shale gas is already substituting for coal and that is welcome as it reduces CO2. But this will only help slow growth in CO2, not bring us to a desired trajectory. The threat of climate change is right at the top of our agenda - we just announced a record CO2 level for the world and we are warning that we are almost ready to shut the door on a trajectory towards a 2C temperature rise."