Natural Gas Potential of Pakistan an Important Parameterin Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Climate change is one of the most challenging issues in Pakistan and has affected humans in everysphere of life. Pakistan is ranked on 8thin the world among the countries emitting Greenhousegases (GHG). Such anextensive emission ofGHGis due to the growing number of industrial unitsand urban centres consuming fossil fuels that emit GHG at a large scale. Mitigating the GHGemission indeed is a challenge for Pakistan. This manuscript highlights the GHG emissionstatusand provides recommendations with suitable alternatives to mitigate the emission.Simultaneously, the study explores the impact of switching over the fuels from conventional fossilfuels to unconventional natural gas as a source of energy for domestic use, transportations andindustrial sectors to mitigate the GHG emission. Natural gas is considered as green fuel due to thelow carbon emission ratio as other fuels e.g. coal and oil. If Pakistan becomes successful inexploring and exploiting the indigenous untapped natural gas resources, that will eventuallysupport in reducing the GHG emissions. This is only possible by making new natural gas reservoirdiscoveries. Discovering new gas reservoirs from unconventional resources is also verychallengingand requires investment and modification in existing energy policies. In addition, thegovernment should encourage theExploration Production (EP)companies to exploit the hiddennatural gas potential that will assist in both alleviating the energy deficitand reducing the GHGemission. The findings of the present study analysis have substantial implications regarding GHGmitigation, energy transition,and economic development.