# LNG chain: Impact on the biosphere

The climate cost of chilling, shipping and leaking methane

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/biosphere/

What this tab covers Effects on human, animal, plant, fungal and microbial life and on whole ecosystems: in the short term (construction and early years), medium term (operating life) and long term (decommissioning and legacy).

LNG's main biosphere effect is climate: the energy burned to liquefy and ship gas plus methane leaks along the chain. Local effects include coastal construction, seawater use at terminals and fire risk.
 Upstream-to-regasification emissions of LNG imported to Germany about 18 to 28 g CO2e per MJ, against about 10 for Russian pipeline gas in one study^[8](https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/Publikationen/WPKS-Study_Analysis_of_the_greenhouse_gas_intensities_of_LNG_imports_to_Germany.pdf) Methane from natural gas operations, world, 2025 36 Mt^[27](https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2026/key-findings) Gas turbine versus electric motor drive efficiency about 35% versus about 95%^[24](https://new.abb.com/news/detail/124739/the-future-of-lng-electrification-innovation-and-efficiency)

#### Effects over time

| Life affected | Short term | Medium term | Long term |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Humans**^[1](https://giignl.org/what-is-lng)^[8](https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/Publikationen/WPKS-Study_Analysis_of_the_greenhouse_gas_intensities_of_LNG_imports_to_Germany.pdf) | Large coastal construction sites, dredging and traffic | Liquefaction burns gas, adding CO2 and local air pollution; LNG is non-toxic, but a large release can ignite as a pool or vapour fire | Decommissioned plants leave industrial coastal sites |
| **Animals**^[1](https://giignl.org/what-is-lng) | Dredging and port works disturb marine life | Little evidence of effect quantified in the sources used | Little evidence of effect |
| **Plants**^[1](https://giignl.org/what-is-lng) | Coastal vegetation cleared for plant sites | Little evidence of effect | Little evidence of effect |
| **Fungi and soil life**^[1](https://giignl.org/what-is-lng) | Soil sealed under plant sites | Little evidence of effect | Little evidence of effect |
| **Ecosystems**^[1](https://giignl.org/what-is-lng)^[27](https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2026/key-findings) | Coastal habitat change | Whole-chain methane and CO2 warm the climate | Spilled LNG floats and evaporates rather than leaving residue on water |

#### How the effects are reduced

Electric drives powered by low-carbon electricity, carbon capture at liquefaction plants, low boil-off tanks and efficient dual-fuel engines cut CO2. Leak detection and repair, and measurement-based methane reporting (which the EU methane regulation would require of importers, though a delay is being negotiated) reduce methane. Siting terminals away from sensitive habitats and using closed-loop vaporisers reduce local marine effects.

#### Sources

1. [What is LNG](https://giignl.org/what-is-lng) GIIGNL, 2025
2. [Analysis of the greenhouse gas intensities of LNG imports to Germany (Munter and Liebich), final report](https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/Publikationen/WPKS-Study_Analysis_of_the_greenhouse_gas_intensities_of_LNG_imports_to_Germany.pdf) ifeu for Wissenschaftsplattform Klimaschutz, 2023
3. [The future of LNG: electrification, innovation and efficiency](https://new.abb.com/news/detail/124739/the-future-of-lng-electrification-innovation-and-efficiency) ABB, 2025
4. [Global Methane Tracker 2026: Key findings](https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2026/key-findings) IEA, 2026

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/correlation/index.md)
- [How it works](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/explain/index.md)
- [Efficiency and losses](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/efficiency/index.md)
- [Technology advances](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/advances/index.md)
- [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/valuechain/index.md)
- [Geopolitics and regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/geopolitics/index.md)
- [Unit economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/economics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lng/links/index.md)