The administration approved five U.S. LNG export licenses to serve the European market following Russia's invasion, having approved none beforehand. U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry told Reuters last year that greenhouse gas emissions were an inevitable "downside" to increasing LNG exports to European allies. CO2 emissions from the energy-intensive process of liquefying gas for export mark only one stage in the industry's overall climate impact. Critics argue that it is unclear whether the U.S. gas export boom to Europe is displacing coal or delaying a transition to renewables like solar and wind. NextDecade Corp has said its proposed terminal near Brownsville, Texas, could remove more than 90% of its expected 6.4 million tons per year of carbon emissions.

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Persons: Arathy, Biden, John Kerry, Robert Fee, Critics, Alexandra Shaykevich, Sempra, Susan Richardson, Tim McLaughlin, Richard Valdmanis, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Reuters, Cheniere Energy, United, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory, Biden White, LNG, The Energy Department, FERC, U.S, Energy Information Administration, Reuters Graphics, Washington, Venture Global, CCS, SEC, Talos Energy, NextDecade, Thomson Locations: Freeport, U.S, Freeport , Texas, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Texas, Cameron, Louisiana, Brownsville , Texas