Humanity’s methane problem could be much bigger than scientists thought
4 years, 10 months ago

Humanity’s methane problem could be much bigger than scientists thought

LA Times  

Fossil-fuel production may be responsible for much more atmospheric methane than scientists previously thought, according to new research published today in the journal Nature. Scientists aren’t challenging the top-line amount of fossil methane that enters the atmosphere every year — that number stays at about 194 million metric tons, says Benjamin Hmiel, a postdoctoral fellow in Earth science at the University of Rochester and the study’s lead author. The new paper’s estimate is dramatically smaller: Just 5 million tons, at most, come from natural sources, or “seeps,” the study says. “If it’s not coming from seeps, then it’s coming from fossil-fuel operations,” says Rob Jackson, a Stanford professor of Earth system science who wasn’t involved in the study. “That will also get at the question, how big are the oil and gas industry methane emissions internationally?” The Nature paper builds on earlier work suggesting that natural methane emissions may be dramatically lower than previously indicated, and has triggered self-examination among some of the same scientists who’d produced the earlier, lower estimates.

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History of this topic

Earth is becoming ‘increasingly uninhabitable,’ scientists warn
2 months, 1 week ago

Earth is becoming ‘increasingly uninhabitable,’ scientists warn

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “It will, however, amplify climate warming, and can also strengthen precipitation change and extreme events in many regions.” This …

Pollution of the potent warming gas methane soars and people are mostly to blame
4 months ago

Pollution of the potent warming gas methane soars and people are mostly to blame

Associated Press  

The amount and proportion of the powerful heat-trapping gas methane that humans spew into the atmosphere is rising, helping to turbocharge climate change, a new study finds. “Methane is a climate menace that the world is ignoring,” study lead author Rob Jackson, head of the Global Carbon Project, which is a group of scientists who monitor greenhouse gas emissions yearly. …

Researchers warn methane emissions ‘rising faster than ever’
4 months ago

Researchers warn methane emissions ‘rising faster than ever’

Al Jazeera  

The largest increases in emissions of the greenhouse gas come from China and Southeast Asia. The potent greenhouse gas, the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide, has increased by 20 percent over the past two decades despite global efforts to curb it, according to a study published by the Global Carbon Project. “Anthropogenic emissions have continued to increase …

Human activity now fuels two-thirds of global methane emissions, report finds
4 months ago

Human activity now fuels two-thirds of global methane emissions, report finds

LA Times  

The world is moving in a perilous direction when it comes to planet-warming methane emissions, which are soaring to record highs driven largely by human activity, new research warns. Although many people associate methane with cow burps and melting permafrost, a paper published this week in the journal Earth System Science Data found that global methane emissions over the last …

Pollution of the potent warming gas methane soars and people are mostly to blame
4 months ago

Pollution of the potent warming gas methane soars and people are mostly to blame

New Indian Express  

The amount and proportion of the powerful heat-trapping gas methane that humans spew into the atmosphere is rising, helping to turbocharge climate change, a new study finds. Tuesday’s study finds that in 2020, the last year complete data is available, the world put 670 million tons of methane in the air, up nearly 12% from 2000. “Methane is a climate …

'Worrisome': Global methane spike imperils climate goals, study warns
5 months, 1 week ago

'Worrisome': Global methane spike imperils climate goals, study warns

Raw Story  

Methane emissions are rising faster than expected, a new study has warned, and the surge is putting global climate goals at risk. The study, published Monday in Frontiers in Science, found that methane emissions have risen quickly since 2006, with the growth rates for atmospheric methane seeing an "abrupt and rapid increase" in the early 2020s. "The growth rate of …

Methane is seeping out of US landfills at rates higher than previously thought, scientists say
9 months, 1 week ago

Methane is seeping out of US landfills at rates higher than previously thought, scientists say

CNN  

CNN — Garbage piling up in landfills isn’t just an eyesore, it’s also a climate nightmare, belching out large amounts of planet-warming methane gas. “Those types of measurements really are not designed to do anything in terms of emissions,” but rather just detect methane “hotspots,” Daniel Cusworth, lead author and scientist with the non-profit Carbon Mapper, told CNN. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty …

US energy industry methane emissions are triple what government thinks, study finds
9 months, 4 weeks ago

US energy industry methane emissions are triple what government thinks, study finds

Associated Press  

American oil and natural gas wells, pipelines and compressors are spewing three times the amount of the potent heat-trapping gas methane as the government thinks, causing $9.3 billion in yearly climate damage, a new comprehensive study calculates. About 40% of the global methane emissions from oil, gas and coal could have been avoided at no extra cost, which is “a …

Methane: the tricky hunt for hidden emissions
10 months ago

Methane: the tricky hunt for hidden emissions

BBC  

Methane: the tricky hunt for hidden emissions Getty Images Agriculture is the largest human source of methane emissions A new satellite will measure global methane emissions, but why does agriculture's contribution remain so elusive? BAE Systems The new MethaneSat aims to detect methane leaked from oil and gas fields around the world Yet the oil and gas industry is also …

Only around 13% of global methane emissions regulated: Study
1 year, 7 months ago

Only around 13% of global methane emissions regulated: Study

The Hindu  

Researchers have showed through a review that only around 13% of global methane emissions are regulated, despite methane emissions causing at least 25% of current global warming. The researchers focused on 281 policies worldwide, 255 of them currently in force, that aim to monitor and reduce methane emissions examining the geographical coverage, strength and effectiveness of the policies. But fossil …

Cause and Effect | The underestimated threat in our fight against climate change
1 year, 7 months ago

Cause and Effect | The underestimated threat in our fight against climate change

Hindustan Times  

While the world focuses on cutting carbon dioxide emissions in its battle against rising global temperatures, CO2’s evil twin, Methane, has largely remained under the radar. According to the International Energy Agency’s Global Methane Tracker, the energy sector added about 135 million tonnes of methane in the atmosphere in 2022. With existing technology, a reduction of 75% is possible in …

Methane big part of ‘alarming’ rise in planet-warming gases
1 year, 9 months ago

Methane big part of ‘alarming’ rise in planet-warming gases

Associated Press  

Methane in the atmosphere had its fourth-highest annual increase in 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported, part of an overall rise in planet-warming greenhouse gases that the agency called “alarming.” Though carbon dioxide typically gets more attention for its role in climate change, scientists are particularly concerned about methane because it traps much more heat — about 87 …

Difficulty measuring methane slows plan to slash emissions
1 year, 11 months ago

Difficulty measuring methane slows plan to slash emissions

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The doors of a metal box slide open, and a drone rises over a gas well in Pennsylvania. Under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, enacted into law last year, companies must start producing precise measurements of their methane emissions next year and face fines if they exceed permissible levels. “It’s challenging to really go measure all …

Nasa plays detective in tracking down Earth’s super methane polluters
2 years, 2 months ago

Nasa plays detective in tracking down Earth’s super methane polluters

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The methane findings weren’t even the primary focus of Nasa’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation which was mapping …

What is the significance of 50 methane 'super-emitters' discovered by Nasa?
2 years, 2 months ago

What is the significance of 50 methane 'super-emitters' discovered by Nasa?

Hindustan Times  

Nasa’s scientists have discovered over 50 methane-emitting hotspots around the globe using a technique developed to research how dust affects climate. EMIT was developed mainly to determine the mineral makeup of dust carried into Earth’s atmosphere by winds from arid regions like deserts According to data gathered by NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation, which was installed on the …

U.N. weather agency: Greenhouse gases reach new record in 2021
2 years, 2 months ago

U.N. weather agency: Greenhouse gases reach new record in 2021

The Hindu  

The three main greenhouse gases hit record high levels in the atmosphere last year, the U.N. weather agency said on Wednesday, calling it an “ominous” sign as war in Ukraine, rising costs of food and fuel, and other worries have elbowed in on longtime concerns about global warming in recent months. Of the three main types of heat-trapping greenhouse gases …

UN weather agency: Greenhouse gases reach new record in 2021
2 years, 2 months ago

UN weather agency: Greenhouse gases reach new record in 2021

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The three main greenhouse gases hit record high levels in the atmosphere last year, the U.N. weather agency said Wednesday, calling it an “ominous” sign as war in Ukraine, rising costs of food and fuel, and other worries have elbowed in on longtime concerns about global warming in recent months. Of the three main types of heat-trapping greenhouse …

New Nasa tool detects ’super-emitters’ of methane from space
2 years, 2 months ago

New Nasa tool detects ’super-emitters’ of methane from space

Live Mint  

NASA scientists, using a tool designed to study how dust affects climate, have identified more than 50 spots around the world emitting major levels of methane, a development that could help combat the potent greenhouse gas. "Reining in methane emissions is key to limiting global warming," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a press release on Tuesday. NASA said more …

Satellite data finds landfills are methane ‘super emitters’
2 years, 4 months ago

Satellite data finds landfills are methane ‘super emitters’

Associated Press  

BENGALURU, India — Landfills are releasing large amounts of planet-warming methane gas into the atmosphere from the decomposition of waste and are a significant contributor to such emissions in urban areas, a study suggests. “This is the first time that high-resolution satellite images have been used to observe landfills and calculate their methane emissions,” said Joannes Maasakkers, lead author of …

Satellite data finds landfills are methane super emitters
2 years, 4 months ago

Satellite data finds landfills are methane super emitters

Live Mint  

Landfills are releasing a significant amount of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere from the decomposition of waste, a study suggests. Scientists used satellite data from four major cities worldwide — Delhi and Mumbai in India, Lahore in Pakistan and Buenos Aires in Argentina — and found that city-level emissions in 2018 and 2019 were 1.4 to 2.6 times higher than …

Climate Change: A planet in crisis
2 years, 6 months ago

Climate Change: A planet in crisis

Live Mint  

This has been a bad few weeks for climate action around the world. First came a damaging US Supreme Court ruling that severely limited the US Environment Protection Agency’s mandate to limit carbon emissions in the energy sector. This presents a severe setback to US President Joe Biden’s attempts to steer the world’s biggest carbon emitting country away from fossil …

Covid lockdown did not slow down greenhouse gas emissions, methane levels surged
2 years, 6 months ago

Covid lockdown did not slow down greenhouse gas emissions, methane levels surged

India Today  

As the world stopped functioning and went inside their homes while a virus raged outside, greenhouse gas emissions had gone down. Scientists from the University of Leeds have analysed new data from Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite to identify locations with large surges of methane emissions, the second most important greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. The year 2020 was unique owing …

Climate change: Humans generated 640 mn tons methane, 36 bn tons CO2 in 2021, scientists call it alarming
2 years, 9 months ago

Climate change: Humans generated 640 mn tons methane, 36 bn tons CO2 in 2021, scientists call it alarming

India Today  

Days after scientists on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change called for cutting down greenhouse gas emissions to avoid a 1.5 degrees Celsius rise in global temperature, a new report paints a grim picture. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observed a record annual increase in atmospheric levels of methane, a heat-trapping greenhouse gas that causes global warming, …

NOAA: Potent heat-trapping methane increases at record pace
2 years, 9 months ago

NOAA: Potent heat-trapping methane increases at record pace

Associated Press  

Global atmospheric levels of the potent but short-lived greenhouse gas methane increased a record amount last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday, worrying scientists because of the large role methane has in climate change. Methane levels are now way more than double pre-industrial levels of 720 parts per billion, said Lindsay Lan, an atmospheric scientist at NOAA …

Methane emissions are far higher than what countries claim, global energy agency says
2 years, 10 months ago

Methane emissions are far higher than what countries claim, global energy agency says

LA Times  

The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that emissions of planet-warming methane from oil, gas and coal production are significantly higher than governments claim. The Paris-based agency said its analysis shows that emissions are 70% higher than the official figure provided by governments worldwide. The findings underline “the urgent need for enhanced monitoring efforts and stronger policy action to drive down …

Methane: EPA proposes new rules; Biden, von der Leyen launch Global Methane Pedge
3 years, 2 months ago

Methane: EPA proposes new rules; Biden, von der Leyen launch Global Methane Pedge

CNN  

CNN — President Joe Biden targeted planet-warming methane emissions on Tuesday from the UN climate summit, announcing strong new US regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and launching a Global Methane Pledge, in partnership with the European Union, that has been signed by around 100 countries. “It’s an enormous opportunity to all our nations to create jobs and make meeting …

Climate change: Frightening IPCC report also holds the seeds of hope (Opinion)
3 years, 5 months ago

Climate change: Frightening IPCC report also holds the seeds of hope (Opinion)

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Fred Krupp is president of the Enviromental Defense Fund, a non-profit orginization. This spring, a team of scientists from Princeton, Duke, Penn State and Texas A&M Universities and the Environmental Defense Fund published groundbreaking research showing that a rapid, full-scale effort to reduce methane pollution could slow the worldwide warming rate by as much as 30%. Cutting methane …

The search for the world's largest methane sources
3 years, 5 months ago

The search for the world's largest methane sources

BBC  

The search for the world's largest methane sources Nasa/JPL-Caltech A methane plume detected by Nasa in summer 2020 identified a leaking gas line in California. Copernicus/Kayrros/US EIA Regions that don't produce oil or gas also have large methane concentrations, potentially due to pipeline maintenance The project's main focus is to find super emitters, Duren says. The satellites will enhance the …

Urgent action on methane emissions could shave 0.3C off global temperatures by 2045, UN report says
3 years, 8 months ago

Urgent action on methane emissions could shave 0.3C off global temperatures by 2045, UN report says

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rapid action on methane emissions could shave 0.3C off global temperatures by 2045, a report …

Reducing methane is crucial for protecting climate, health yet emissions are rising: UN report
3 years, 8 months ago

Reducing methane is crucial for protecting climate, health yet emissions are rising: UN report

Firstpost  

Global methane emissions were fairly level about 15 to 20 years ago, but started creeping up over the past five years or so. Methane, the main ingredient in natural gas, is a larger climate problem than the world anticipates, and cutting its emissions will be crucial to slow global warming, a new United Nations report warns. As methane emissions are …

Cutting methane quickly is key to curbing dangerous warming, U.N. report says
3 years, 8 months ago

Cutting methane quickly is key to curbing dangerous warming, U.N. report says

LA Times  

Satellite images shows methane plumes rising from natural gas sites in Aliso Canyon north of Los Angeles and the Permian Basin in Texas. Cutting the super-potent greenhouse gas methane quickly and dramatically is the world’s best hope to slow and limit the worst of global warming, a new United Nations report says. Because methane helps make smog, cutting annual emissions …

Alarm as scientists uncover the first seafloor leak of METHANE
4 years, 5 months ago

Alarm as scientists uncover the first seafloor leak of METHANE

Daily Mail  

A methane leak has been identified coming out of the Antarctic seabed, causing alarm among climate scientists and conservationists. Divers have frequented the site of the leak at Cinder Cones in McMurdo Sound since the 60s and a visit in 2011 first spotted the leak which had appeared spontaneously In 2017 Earth's atmosphere absorbed nearly 600 million tons of methane, …

Oil and gas production is contributing even more to global warming than was thought, study finds
4 years, 10 months ago

Oil and gas production is contributing even more to global warming than was thought, study finds

CNN  

CNN — Among greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide is the most significant contributor to global warming and therefore, public enemy No. Now, a new study finds that methane emissions from fossil fuels are between 25% and 40% larger than past research had estimated, revealing that oil and gas production is contributing far more to warming the planet than previously thought. All …

The mystery of Mars' missing methane might finally have been solved
5 years, 4 months ago

The mystery of Mars' missing methane might finally have been solved

Firstpost  

Researchers were able to calculate that 2.8 kg of Methane is emitted per day from Gale Crater. Curiosity, that lonely rover on Mars, has been detecting signs of methane regularly, however, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, would pick up significantly lesser amounts of it than the rover measured. For instance, once Curiosity measured average methane concentrations of 0.41 parts per …

Scientists think they know what the source of methane in Mars' atmosphere could be
5 years, 9 months ago

Scientists think they know what the source of methane in Mars' atmosphere could be

Firstpost  

Since methane traces were reported in Mars’ atmosphere, a debate has raged over the findings’ accuracy. Because methane gas dissipates relatively quickly — within around 12 years on Earth — and due to the difficulty of observing Mars’ atmosphere, many scientists questioned previous studies that relied on a single data set. Furthermore, they conducted two parallel experiments to determine the …

Methane in the atmosphere is surging, and that’s got scientists worried
5 years, 10 months ago

Methane in the atmosphere is surging, and that’s got scientists worried

LA Times  

Scientists love a good mystery. That’s because many scenarios for meeting its goal of keeping global warming “well below 2 degrees Celsius” assumed that methane would be falling by now, buying time to tackle the long-term challenge of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. “I don’t want to run around and cry wolf all the time, but it is something that is …

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