More Oil and Gas Now Will Mean Less Coal Later

More Oil and Gas Now Will Mean Less Coal Later

US President Joe Biden is pushing for a temporary increase in oil and gas production at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. While Biden himself has acknowledged that his effort might seem ironic, to some climate activists, it is more than that: It’s hypocritical, especially coming from a president who has pledged to rapidly shift the US economy away from fossil fuels.

These criticisms are misguided. An increase in oil and gas production, even over the medium term, is not inconsistent with action to curb climate change — in fact, it is instrumental to its success.

It is generally agreed that the most important step in combating climate change is to phase out the use of coal. For the first time in 15 years, however, in part because of soaring natural gas prices, coal use is expected to rise in the US this year. Coal-fired power plants release more than 2.5 times as much carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour as modern gas plants.

That means any policy that substitutes gas for coal will help reduce emissions. It would also come with another benefit: By helping industry ensure a steady supply of electricity, it would assure US consumers that they will not have the