The Messy Truth of America’s Natural Gas Exports

Last month, President Biden announced the federal government would temporarily stop approving new export terminals for liquified natural gas. The move was hailed as a victory by climate activists and lamented by fossil-fuel companies. But what will the pause mean for the climate — really? Will it stop exports from rising in the near-term, and can we say with any certainty whether it will make carbon emissions go up or down? In this inaugural episode of Shift Key, Robinson Meyer, the executive editor of Heatmap News, and Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems expert and professor at Princeton University, unpack the president’s decision and try to figure out what — if anything — it means for the climate. Mentioned:Research by Shuting Yang, et al.Robert Howarth’s unpublished paper on natural gas’s effect on the climateBill McKibben’s reaction to news of the pauseThe People on the Front Lines of the LNG Fight, by Jeva LangeThe Biden administration’s fact sheet on the approval pauseJesse’s upshift, Jesse’s downshift. Rob’s upshift, Rob’s downshift. —-This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by KORE Power and Advanced Energy United…KORE Power provides functional solutions that push the front line of the transition to clean energy and form the backbone of the decarbonized future worldwide. KORE Power’s manufacturing capabilities and robust portfolio of products provide the commercial, industrial, utility and defense markets with next-generation battery cells, advanced energy storage systems that scale to grid+, intuitive asset management, and EV power and charging infrastructure support. Learn more at Korepower.comAdvanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy. We work with decision makers at every level of government as well as regulators of energy markets to achieve this goal. The businesses we represent are lowering consumer costs, creating thousands of new jobs every year, and providing the full range of clean, efficient, and reliable energy and transportation solutions. Learn more at info.advancedenergyunited.org/heatmapMusic for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.