Baton Rouge: The Gulf Coast state of Louisiana, known for hosting the largest liquified natural gas (LNG) export facility in the United States, has taken a controversial step by rebranding LNG as "green" energy. This move makes Louisiana the fourth Republican-majority state, following Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee, to adopt such a stance, coinciding with former President Donald Trump's policy shifts away from renewable energy subsidies towards traditional oil and gas.
According to Deutsche Welle, the United States holds the title of the world's largest LNG exporter, with significant shipments directed to Europe since 2022. This shift followed the substantial reduction in Russian gas supplies after the invasion of Ukraine. LNG, composed of more than 90% methane along with small amounts of ethane, propane, butane, and nitrogen, has raised environmental concerns due to its potent heat-trapping ability.
Methane, although it remains in the atmosphere for only about 12 years compared to carbon dioxide's centuries-long persistence, is approximately 85 times more effective at trapping heat over a 20-year period. Scientific estimates indicate that despite methane accounting for just 3% of greenhouse gas emissions since the onset of industrialization in 1750, it has contributed to 25-30% of global warming.
A 2024 study highlights LNG's significant greenhouse gas footprint, noting that it is 33% larger than that of coal over a 20-year span. This is largely attributed to methane leakage in the supply chain and the energy-intensive nature of processing and shipping, according to Robert Howarth, a professor at Cornell University and lead author of the study.
In the US, LNG is primarily derived from shale gas mined via hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a method criticized for its environmental impact, including water and air pollution and habitat disruption. After extraction, the gas is supercooled to become LNG, enabling efficient long-distance transportation on specialized tankers.
While European nations have traditionally received gas from Russia through pipelines, many are now constructing LNG terminals to accommodate imports from the US, Qatar, and Algeria. Despite a 19% decrease in US LNG imports in 2024, Russian supplies to Europe rose by 18%, challenging the region's commitment to phase out Russian imports by 2027.
The portrayal of LNG as a "bridge" fuel with half the carbon emissions of coal has supported its classification as a relatively clean energy source. However, the associated methane emissions and the energy demands of its production and transport complicate its labeling as green. The closure of coal plants and the prominence of methane as a greenhouse gas pollutant further challenge the narrative of LNG as part of a climate-neutral future.
Methane is blamed for up to 50% of temperature increases over the past decade, as highlighted by Howarth at a Climate Change Conference in Bonn in June 2025. Moreover, LNG's cost, reportedly up to five times that of renewable sources like solar and wind, adds another layer of complexity to its green designation.
As global temperatures approach critical thresholds, Howarth warns against the inclusion of LNG in a sustainable energy future, emphasizing its substantial greenhouse gas footprint. "LNG has the largest greenhouse gas footprint of any fossil fuel," he stated, underscoring the urgency of transitioning away from such energy sources to avert further climate-related disasters.