A report commissioned by the fossil fuel industry to justify claims of the environmental benefits of coal seam gas continues to cherry-pick data to reach its conclusions, the Australian Greens said today.

The report by WorleyParsons for the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association nevertheless concludes that it is only in the unlikely circumstances of best practice gas replacing worst practice coal, and using very low figures for the global warming impact of methane, that the gas industry's claims can be justified.

"You have to wonder why, when the Europeans and Americans are investing in zero emissions baseload solar power, industry in Australia is still obsessed with comparing one polluting fossil fuel with another," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"The most important fact which needs to be established soon is the real, on-the-ground leakage of gas from the mining process. APPEA uses only industry standard estimates based on American Petroleum Institute figures.

"The real climate impact of coal seam gas can't be established until we have independently verified data on how much gas leaks and is flared and vented on the ground here in Australia.

"The real figures on leakage are triply important because APPEA's report uses a hugely outdated and understated figure for the global warming impact of the methane which leaks.

"If calculated over the next 20 years - the critical period when we risk triggering tipping points in the climate if we don't act to cut pollution fast - methane's climate impact is actually more like 72 times that of carbon dioxide, not the 21 times used in this report.

"It is worth noting that, if indeed this gas is used to replace coal, a peer-reviewed study notes that the short-term climate impact of that shift is negative as coal burning has a greater dimming effect than gas burning, more than cancelling out the climate benefits."

Australian Greens mining spokesperson, Senator Larissa Waters, said "This report continues the gas industry's practice of cherry-picking to suit its profit-making agenda rather than protect the environment.

"We have to remember, as well, that this is not just a question of the impact on the climate.

"If we allow coal seam gas to expand as much as the industry wants, we jeopardise food production on prime agricultural land, the Great Artesian Basin and even suburban areas where the companies want to drill."