Why the Fracking Boom Probably Won’t Slow Global Warming

The fracking revolution in the U.S. has dramatically expanded the supply of unconventional natural gas and lowered energy prices around the world. Many other countries, from Britain to China, are now eyeing geological surveys and hoping that hydraulic fracturing can tap into natural gas locked in deep shale deposits. The World Resources Institute estimates that if all the planet’s theoretically recoverable shale gas could be developed, the total supply of natural gas would increase 47 percent.

Because burning natural gas for energy emits less CO than burning other fossil fuels, including coal, many analysts have assumed that surging shale gas usage would also be a boon for curbing climate change. Alas, a study published this week in the journal Nature shows that isn’t necessarily true.