London, July 2010

Growing estimates of US natural gas resources, including a new category of ‘unconventional’ gas, suggest that accessible supplies of this least carbon-intensive of the fossil fuels may be far more abundant than previously assumed. This unexpected development creates opportunities for deploying natural gas in a variety of sectors – including power generation, industry, and transportation – to help displace oil and coal, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.

By Christopher Flavin & Saya Kitasei; Worldwatch Institute