Natural gas is often deemed to be a cleaner option than coal. This is true: natural gas emits around half the carbon dioxide of coal. However, overall natural gas is not a wholly clean fuel option because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
Natural gas contains other gases besides CO2, most prominently methane, the majority of which are also greenhouse gases. They are so called because they contribute to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect occurs when harmful gases such as CO2 and methane and other hydrocarbon gases form a layer in the earth’s atmosphere which traps the sun’s rays. This has the result of warming up the surface of the earth and this causes numerous adverse effects such as sea level rises and icebergs melting.
So, in sum, natural gas is not just one gas: it is made up of several different types of gases. Most of these gases are greenhouse gases. Though natural gas is better than coal, it is not so good as green energy sources like solar energy.
Laura