• Methane is especially bad for our climate – because it’s very e昀昀ective at absorbing heat. In the 昀椀rst 20 years after its release, it’s 86 times stronger than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere. • Ethylene, one of the major building blocks used in making plastics, is derived from natural gas at ethane cracker plants. People living and working at or near petrochemical facilities like these can have higher rates of cancer, respiratory problems, and other life-altering diseases. • The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that in 2017 global natural gas production hit a record high, representing a 3.6 percent increase over 2016 and the largest year-over-year increase since 2010. • By 2050, natural gas may provide as much as 56 percent of the US electricity mix, nearly double what it is today. • A natural gas-dominated electricity system would continue to heat up the planet. CHEAP ENERGY? NOT SO FAST According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), “Domestic supplies of natural gas have increased dramatically in recent years, due in large part to the development and expansion of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) drilling techniques. This increased supply – which is expected to continue for years – has lowered prices for natural gas, making it very cost-competitive compared to other energy sources.” But that is only part of the story. Market prices for fossil fuels are kept arti昀椀cially low, in part, by government subsidies. And these prices also do not take into account the cost of the climate change created by burning them. And climate change carries tremendous costs for all of us. Period. A BRIDGE TO NOWHERE Fossil fuels (all of them!) are the energy of the past. With newer technologies like wind, solar, and advanced batteries in our hands, we can power today and tomorrow with clean, reliable energy that doesn’t harm our health and destroy our planet. It’s clear: We must transition away from dangerous, dirty fossil fuels (all of them!) and invest in clean, reliable energy. Renewable energy is good for our health, our climate, and our economies. Learn more at climaterealityproject.org Last updated February 2019