New measurements by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reveal that methane concentrations in the atmosphere have now broken all records. Specifically, we are talking about 1,900 parts per billion (ppb), while before the industrial revolution it was at 700 ppb.
Methane is known to be a powerful greenhouse gas that lasts up to nine years in the atmosphere and is responsible for half the level of carbon dioxide for global warming.
After a rapid increase in the 1980s and 1990s, it stabilized until 2007 when it resumed growth, with the sharpest increase occurring in 2020. But where do methane emissions come from?
About 600 million tons of methane are released into the atmosphere each year. 2/5 of them are due to emissions from natural sources, such as the decomposition of flora. The remaining 3/5 are due to human activity.
Leaks in the fossil fuel industry release over 100 million tons per year, while the natural gas we use for heating is mainly methane. Agricultural activity releases an additional 150 million tonnes a year, while landfills and sewage systems contribute another 70 million tonnes.
Scientists can single out methane sources using carbon isotopes. Natural sources such as cow vegetation or gases are rich in carbon-12, while methane from fossil fuels and fires is higher in carbon-13.
From 2007 onwards, the main sources are located in the tropical and subtropical zone of the planet, as well as in the Arctic North. The Amazon rainforest, the Nile, the Congo, the Siberian tundra and icy Canada emit 200 million tonnes a year. And while landfills have been significantly reduced in Europe, developing cities in Africa and India are creating new landfills.
One hundred nations signed the United Nations Global Methane Pledge in November 2021 promising to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. We can do little about natural emissions, but we can reduce gas leaks, close landfills , to stop burning the seedlings and to remove the methane from the mining processes. It is worth noting that major polluters such as China, India, Russia, Qatar and Australia did not sign the Global Methane Pledge.
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