A new study reveals that methane levels in the atmosphere are sharply increasing, contributing to the rapid deterioration of the global climate.
Methane is a heat-trapping gas that experts warn poses a significant threat to the environment. It is released through natural processes, such as microbial activity in wetlands and oceans, as well as human activities, including livestock farming, rice cultivation, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction. Once methane enters the atmosphere, it forms a layer that traps heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping back into space. This process contributes to the warming of Earth’s atmosphere.
According to the study, approximately 670 million tons of methane were emitted into the atmosphere in 2020, representing an almost 12% increase from 2000. Human activities accounted for much of this rise, contributing 18% more emissions than two decades earlier. In contrast, methane emissions from natural sources rose by only 2% over the same period.
The study also found that there is currently 2.6 times more methane in the atmosphere compared to preindustrial levels.
Rob Jackson, the lead author of the study, described methane as a “menace” that is being largely ignored. He pointed out that methane levels are rising at a much faster rate than carbon dioxide, though CO2 remains more harmful in the long term due to its longer persistence in the atmosphere. Jackson emphasized that reducing methane emissions could be one of the quickest ways to slow down the pace of climate change.
Bill Hare, a climate expert from Climate Analytics who was not involved in the research, called the findings deeply alarming. He stressed the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly half and methane emissions by about one-third to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. However, Hare warned that at the current rate of emissions, the world is on track to reach a 3-degree Celsius rise, which is double the target set by the accord.
With the exception of Europe, all regions of the world are contributing to the rise in methane emissions, with significant emissions coming from major Asian economies, particularly China and India.
The study analyzed data up to 2020, the most recent year for which complete information was available. Jackson believes that methane levels in the atmosphere today are likely even higher than what the study reflects.
Although the study did not address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many environmentalists agree that emissions in 2020 were temporarily reduced as a result of global lockdowns that curtailed many industrial activities.
