The Stream, February 9: Is Shale Gas a ‘Bridge Fuel’?

A new study into the carbon footprint of shale gas operations adds more fuel to the debate about the technique’s environmental record, the journal Nature reported. According to the report, natural gas operations could leak enough methane to tarnish shale gas’s image as a cleaner alternative to coal.

Floods
Rivers in Bulgaria and Greece burst their banks on Tuesday, leaving dozens of homes underwater, days after a dam collapse in Bulgaria flooded a village and killed eight people, Associated Press reported.

In Australia, projections for a bumper cotton crop remain on track despite heavy flooding in major growing regions in Queensland and New South Wales, Reuters reported.

The Americas
Solar power is emerging as the best option available to develop sustainable energy in Cuba, according to the Inter Press Service.

For the first time in more than 200 years, there’s visible progress in efforts to clean up the Matanza-Riachuelo River basin in Argentina, IPS reported.

Officials at the Grand Canyon will soon ban the sale of bottled water in the park, Reuters reported.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.