Why we need to ditch natural gas (asap)

Natural gas is abundant, versatile – and much cleaner than coal. It lets us keep the lights on AND reduce emissions. That's great, right? Well, yes. If it wasn't for one small detail: it's still a fossil fuel.

Reporter: Malte Rohwer-Kahlmann 
Video Editor: Frederik Willmann
Supervising Editor: Joanna Gottschalk & Kiyo Dörrer

We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Our new channel Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world — and challenges our ideas about what dealing with climate change means. We look at the big and the small: What we can do and how the system needs to change. Every Friday we'll take a truly global look at how to get us out of this mess.

#PlanetA #NaturalGas #FossilFuels

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Chapters: 
00:00 Intro
01:01 The natural gas boom
02:33 Bridge fuel argument
04:04 Methane leaks
07:15 Still a fossil fuel
10:11 What to do instead?

[Joe-ijof]

You know what doesn’t help? Turning off already built nuclear power plants that still have usable years left in them… especially when you know who is having you know what sanctioned over invading you know where.

[cIyze]

Why is nuclear energy not even mentioned?!! Come on, it's a great alternative that doesn't have emissions. Unbelievable that nuclear energy is always completely overlooked

[GustavoGarufi]

I think that the best bridge we can use right now is actually nuclear, but a lot of people have an irrational fear towards it.

[darylb]

It sounds like the EU just ditched Nat Gas. I’m looking forward to seeing how this is going to work out for them

[id]

Next video aimed at the Germans:
Do we really need to be warm in the winter???

[AabhasLall]

Saying that this video is ironic would be an understatement since only yesterday Germany kind of forced the EU parliament to label gas as "green" so that there can be more investments made in the natural gas infrastructure. What is even more sad and disturbing is the unending demonization of nuclear energy. I maybe probably would have understood the decision not to build new nuclear plants after Fukushima, but actively stopping the plants before their lifecycle is just bonkers. And guess how that shortfall is being made up? It's not only gas, but also the worst quality of coal from Hambach.

You ask "What do you do instead?"
Start investing in nuclear energy, and get the nuclear plants back up, by using the money that is right now being directed to fossil fuel companies and gas infrastructure. You spent almost 10 billion Euros on pipe that will probably never be used, maybe invest 1/10th of that and see where nuclear can take you?
Of course, solar and wind are good, but for base energy capacity, Hydro and Nuclear are much much better compared to setting up more mines, coal and gas plants.

[alexz]

So, what's your reaction to the EU's decision to label fossil gas as "green" in their energy taxonomy?

[jorgerodriguez]

Nuclear in combination with renewables is the key to ditch fossil fuels and have a stable electric grid.

[michaelkohl]

If the climate change lobby continues to refuse discussing nuclear power, I don´t believe there is a climate change issue.

[christopherblackhall]

This guy literally said bio gas is greener than natural gas. They literally share the same chemical structure lol

[matthewleitch]

The attitude that it is for gas companies to meet demand and governments to decide that demand is worrying in more than one way.

[MrHMQ]

Will you also report on all the issues with switching from the current mining industries to those for batteries and materials needed to create solar panels and wind mills?
You should also report on the disposals of all of these products.
Looking forward to your balanced and unbiased reporting.

[jimurrata]

Flaring is _burning_ methane to release CO², not dumping methane into the atmosphere.
You can see methane in the infrared. Pull the IR filter off almost any camera sensor and it will show up.
We should be investing in renewable storage and nuclear, but undermining coal by using natural gas today is still a net positive.
By far the best thing we could do is support developing economies in moving directly into renewables so they don't make the same mistake wealthy "first world" nations have.

[mcbowler]

We grow plants with it. Co2 is not a pollutant. Co2 is plant food. Green things grow in a greenhouse.

[sidneyshaw]

Have a look at the United Nations study done on one of the largest gas fields in Australia in 2021. They over flew the Surat basin with methane sniffing probs and found that 50 % of the methane was coming from feedlots ! There was also a large amount detected leaking from swamps and the rest from gas wells past and present.

[cupcakepower]

It’s interesting ppl don’t mention nuclear and fusion. Wind and solar aren’t enough, and most batteries use lithium, which comes with some environmental and ethical problems.

[mckennakills]

I think district heating networks should be a priority. I know in the UK gas is very popular for heating (85% of homes). But we're also highly urbanised (80%+ live in cities), so use mid day solar to power air/water/ground source heat pumps which in turn heat water in a network of insulated tanks and pipes that are pumped into all our homes like drinking water & sewage.

I don't know what the split is for gas use in terms of electricity production or heating but I'm sure stopping leaks will be easier if the 'gas network' is maybe just 6 pipelines going to power stations rather than the 280, 000km of pipe network we currently have to service tens of millions of homes and businesses.

[Picci]

I heat my house and water with firewood (I plant two trees for each one I burn), produce electricity with PV panels and battery, do not need air conditioning as I restored an 18th century home with thick brick walls and added insulation and good windows. I'm not totally off grid, but year round I sell to the grid a net amount of electricity. What we need is to plan our lives according to our goals, you don't need to be rich... you just have to be focused.

[shenmisheshou]

Impossible to ditch natural gas at this time. If the US were to build 60 new nuclear power plants we could start thinking about it, but remember, a lot of natural gas usage is for home heating, and to replace that with electic heat, you need even more nuclear power plants. If you want to charge electic cars that will replace gasoline powered cars, you need to add even more. When you total it up, we should be building about 100 new nuclear power plants. The longer we wait, the worse the problem will get.

[krishsingharora]

Bio gas can be used as an alternative to natural gas in cooking, heating & transportation. While for electricity generation solar energy, wind energy, nuclear energy can be used.