Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is driving rapid climate change. Discover its sources, impacts, and global efforts to curb emissions. (CREDIT: Innovation News Network) The world faces an uphill battle against methane emissions , a potent greenhouse gas driving climate change at unprecedented rates. While over 150 nations have pledged to reduce methane by 30% this decade, global emissions have risen faster than ever over the past five years. Methane’s impact on global warming is profound. It is the second most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and contributed 0.5°C of warming during the 2010s compared to the late 1800s. Its global warming potential (GWP) surpasses CO2, heating the atmosphere over 80 times faster within 20 years of release. These staggering statistics underscore the urgency of addressing methane emissions to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Escalating Emissions and Global Trends Methane levels in the atmosphere are now over 2.6 times higher than pre-industrial levels—the highest in at least 800,000 years. In January 2024, average global methane concentrations reached 1931 parts per billion (ppb), with annual increases accelerating at an alarming rate. Between 2020 and 2023, atmospheric methane rose by 15, 18, 13, and 10 ppb respectively, some of the largest increases recorded since the U.S. NOAA began its time series in 1983. The Global Methane Budget, a collaborative effort led by the Global Carbon Project and published IOP Science , sheds light on methane sources and sinks. Its recent data reveals that human activities like coal mining, oil and gas production, livestock farming, and waste decomposition contributed nearly 400 million tons—or 65%—of global methane emissions in 2020. Agriculture and waste together produced twice as much methane as the fossil fuel sector that year. These human-driven emissions have continued to grow, with notable regional increases in China […]
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