Die NYT identifizierte mit einer hochsensiblen Infrarot-Kamera das Entweichen von großen Mengen von sehr klimaschädlichem Methan an den Produktionsorten und Pipelines.
Methane levels have soared since 2007 for reasons that still aren’t fully understood. But fracking natural-gas production, which accelerated just as atmospheric methane levels jumped, is a prime suspect.
Methane leaks from oil and gas production threaten to erode the advantage that natural gas has over coal in meeting the world’s energy needs, scientists say. When burned for electricity, natural gas produces about half the carbon dioxide that coal does. But if methane is not burned off when released, it can warm the planet more than 80 times as much as carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
Methane also contributes to ground-level ozone, which, if inhaled, can cause asthma and other health problems.
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