The New York Times reported that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on the 7th that the increase in methane content in the atmosphere last year was the largest since measurements began 40 years ago, exacerbating people's concerns about the release of greenhouse gases from oil and gas operations.
Methane emissions hit record highs for two consecutive years in 2021
Methane is less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, but its short-term contribution to global warming is even greater. Large quantities of methane continue to enter the air from oil wells and pipelines, as well as from unintentional leaks, and from livestock, decaying organic matter in landfills, and wetlands.
According to preliminary analysis by NOAA, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have been steadily rising over the past 15 years or so, reaching a record high in 2021. The previous record for annual methane increase was set in 2020.
"Our data show that global emissions are rapidly heading in the wrong direction," said NOAA Administrator Richard W. Spinrad. "Reducing methane emissions is a critical step we can take now to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the short term and rapidly reduce the rate of warming."
Overall, carbon dioxide still contributes far more to global warming. An analysis released by NOAA on the 7th showed that carbon dioxide concentrations continued to rise rapidly in 2021. Furthermore, the rate of increase in carbon dioxide concentrations over the past decade has reached its fastest pace in the more than 60 years since monitoring began.
However, because large amounts of methane can cause warming in a short period of time, scientists believe that reducing methane emissions is also a way to curb warming more quickly.
Scholars: Methane should not be in the atmosphere, and leaking it is a complete waste of energy
Unlike carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned, methane is the main component of natural gas, meaning emitters have an economic reason not to release too much. Scientists estimate that the energy industry accounts for about a third of global methane emissions.
Besides trapping heat at the surface, methane contributes to ground-level ozone pollution, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues. NOAA estimates that the amount of methane in the atmosphere is now two and a half times higher than before the Industrial Revolution.
At the global climate summit in Glasgow last year, more than 100 countries jointly pledged to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030. The Biden administration also announced new rules to manage methane emissions from oil and gas drilling platforms across the United States.
Xin Lan, an atmospheric scientist at NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory, said one factor behind the rapid growth in methane emissions over the past two years may be increased rainfall in tropical regions due to the La El Niño phenomenon.
Increased moisture could cause microbes in tropical wetlands to produce more methane, Lansing said. These microbes are more active in warmer weather, so natural emissions from wetlands and elsewhere could generally increase as the Earth warms.
Still, limiting leaks from fossil fuel facilities should be easier to stabilize methane concentrations in the atmosphere than trying to control rainfall in the tropics, Lansing said. “Reducing methane emissions from fossil fuels should be a low-hanging fruit for us, especially since methane is a profitable fuel for emitters… Methane leaks are a complete waste of energy and should not be in the atmosphere.”
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/233863)
