Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel. It is also the most controversial. Everyone knows that dirty coal is evil and that oil is a 20th century fuel that will be decimated by the rapid transition to electric vehicles. But natural gas is more complex. Advocates argue that it is a “bridge fuel” in the inevitable transition to clean energy, and that by displacing coal for power generation, it has an important role to play in reducing carbon pollution. It is also an increasingly import export, giving the US weapon to help undermine Russia’s dominance as a gas supplier in the global energy markets. Critics argue that if we hope to get to zero carbon emissions by 2050 (the goal scientists say is necessary to keep warming below 1.5 C), natural gas has got to go now. Leaking methane, the main ingredient in natural gas, is 40 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2, may offset much of the climate advantages of burning gas over coal. And fracking, a type of drilling pioneered in the US that has vastly increased the supply of natural gas, is its own nightmare, poisoning drinking water and leading to widespread environmental devastation. Here to debate this is Julian Brave NoiseCat of Data for Progress, and Arvind Ravikumar of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Tap the link in our bio to watch the full debate.