Curbing methane emissions necessary band-aid, not a cure for global warming

Environment America

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oil and gas industry emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the potency of carbon dioxide, will get new limits under a plan announced today by the White House. Methane escapes into the air during fracking and other forms of drilling, and accounts for about 9 percent of the nation’s global warming pollution, according to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Environment America’s Anna Aurilio issued the following statement in response to the proposal:

“We owe it to the next generation to tackle the global warming problem, and curbing potent methane emissions has to be part of the solution. But make no mistake: limiting air pollution from fracking is a band-aid, not a cure. To stop global warming, we must transition to 100 percent clean energy.”