True or false: Natural gas produces less CO2 than oil and coal?

Natural gas is indeed known to produce less carbon dioxide (CO2) when combusted compared to oil and coal. The reason for this lies in the chemical composition of natural gas, primarily consisting of methane (CH4). When burned, natural gas burns more cleanly and efficiently, producing approximately 50% less CO2 than coal and about 30% less than oil for the same amount of energy generated.

This difference arises from the fact that natural gas has a higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, which means that it releases more energy per carbon atom when it combusts, resulting in lower overall emissions of CO2. This characteristic makes natural gas a favored option in discussions around cleaner fossil fuels, especially when aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector.

While other factors like extraction methods or specific conditions can influence overall emissions in broader assessments, the fundamental property of natural gas leading to lower CO2 output during combustion stands as a key argument for its comparative advantages over coal and oil in terms of climate impact.