Why Al Gore Is a Natural-Gas Skeptic

The U.S. natural-gas boom is a big reason why the nation's carbon emissions have dropped by around 10 percent over the past decade. But don't look for climate crusader Al Gore to cheer the rise of gas, even though gas produces just half the carbon-dioxide emissions of coal. In an interview with National Journal, Gore explained why he's no fan of natural gas, which has enjoyed support from the Obama administration and has eaten into a big chunk of coal's leading share of U.S. power generation. He's skeptical of the fuel even if regulators decide to clamp down hard on leaks of methane from natural-gas production and distribution, which he believes EPA should do. Those leaks erode at least a portion—some researchers believe a huge amount—of the climate edge gas holds over coal as a power source. "[I]t is still a losing game for two reasons: It is still a carbon fuel. [Gas] still contributes to the problem, and the skies are already saturated. They say it is a glass half-full, glass half-empty issue, because, in theory, gas has only 50 percent of the CO2 of coal, two-thirds of that of oil. But the atmosphere is already completely full. That is one reason why I don't think it is the best option," Gore said in an interview with National Journal in New York City on Wednesday...more