Methane emissions from human activities have become a significant contributor to climate change. Methane is four times more sensitive to global warming than previously thought, and it is expected that methane-related warming will continue to increase in the coming decades. Methane levels have been increasing at a slow rate since the turn of the century, but they grew dramatically since 2007. Last year, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measured methane levels at 1,900 parts per billion, nearly triple their pre-industrial levels.
Reduced methane emissions from fossil fuels
Methane emissions are a major contributor to climate change, but reducing them can help limit the rise in temperatures in the near future. In addition, reducing these emissions can also improve public health, air quality, and food security. It’s also an easy and cost-effective measure that can benefit the economy of many countries and companies. These emissions are released as a byproduct of the burning of fossil fuels, and there are various ways to reduce them.
Methane emissions have increased by 25 percent over the past 20 years, and we’re not anywhere near the 2 percent reduction per year we need to meet the Paris Agreement targets. But a new study by McKinsey reveals that reducing methane emissions from five industries would reduce global emissions by 20 percent by 2030 and 46 percent by 2050. These reductions can be achieved through existing technologies and are critical to keeping global temperatures under 1.5 degrees Celsius.
To help policymakers understand how much methane emissions are contributing to climate change, governments and industry must improve monitoring and data collection. New technologies such as satellite and drone monitoring can make this easier. Methane emissions are currently reported in tandem with CO2 emissions, but should be reported separately under a separate methodology. Accurate measurements will help governments and industry create incentives to reduce emissions of methane. Furthermore, improved measurements could help countries develop global tradable goods markets to curb emissions.
Cutting methane emissions is a cost-effective and relatively fast way to help limit the rise in global temperatures. Methane only makes up a tiny part of the atmosphere, but it has an outsized effect. Methane traps heat in the atmosphere for its first 20 years. Unlike CO2, methane breaks down quickly, so cutting emissions will provide a quick and immediate benefit in limiting temperature increases in the near term. Cutting emissions of methane could help prevent 0.3 degrees Celsius of warming by 2050.
Increasing awareness of the risks and benefits of methane has prompted a number of countries to pledge to cut emissions of methane. In addition to committing to reducing methane emissions, many countries are also implementing various policies to address this problem. China is the biggest methane emitter in the world, and the European Commission adopted a methane strategy last year.
The Commission’s efforts to reduce methane emissions internationally have been shaped by partnerships and initiatives. The EU is a member of several international efforts to curb this gas, including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), which was founded under the United Nations Environment Programme. This coalition includes governments, intergovernmental organisations, and businesses.
The most widespread source of methane is livestock. It accounts for about a third of global methane emissions. But methane emissions are also generated from other sources, such as landfills, coal mines, rice paddies, and wastewater treatment facilities.
Reduced methane emissions from wetlands
A recent study has found that methane emissions from wetlands may contribute to climate change. The methane released from the wetlands is caused by the microbes living in the soil. These organisms metabolize methane under anaerobic conditions and release it to the atmosphere in several ways, including diffusion, transport through plant tissue, and episodic gas bubble releases. The amount of methane released from wetlands varies depending on the hydrologic stability of the soil and how efficient the plants are at transporting the gas.
The global concentration of methane has increased over the past decade, with annual increases of the greatest since the systematic registries began in 1983. Scientists are unsure of what causes the increase in methane levels, but they do believe that biogenic sources like wetlands and rice paddies contribute to methane emissions. One theory is a process called climate feedback, in which warmer temperatures cause the organic material in tropical wetlands to decompose faster, resulting in increased emissions.
The study suggests that restoring wetlands may be a powerful weapon in the battle against climate change. However, the technologies for CO2 removal are not ready for widespread use until at least 20 years from now. In the meantime, the restoration of wetlands could become a valuable climate strategy, according to Laura Petes, assistant director of climate resilience at the White House.
The reduction of methane emissions from wetlands is an important step in combating climate change. It will help protect the atmosphere and reduce global temperatures by reducing carbon emissions. It will also improve public health. According to the UN-supported study, reducing methane emissions by one million metric tons could prevent 1,430 premature deaths, 90 hospital visits, and 145,000 tons of crop losses. The study also noted that every ton of methane reduction would result in $4300 worth of benefits.
In addition to methane emission from rice fields, researchers have also studied methane emission from wetlands. In the United States, Japan, and Spain, researchers have found that methane emission rates are highest in the early afternoon. Methane emission rates are also linked to air temperature, floodwater pH, and oxygen concentrations.
Despite the potential benefits of methane production from wetlands, these emissions are still a significant source of methane. The emission rate from rice fields in China and India is estimated at 40 to 60 Tg/yr. However, the sources of methane emissions are not yet known, and further studies are required to establish the exact contribution of methane emission from rice fields to climate change.
Methane emissions from livestock are responsible for about 40 to 50 percent of all anthropogenic methane emissions. The goal is to reduce emissions from this sector by 12 percent by 2030, and 30 percent by 2050. The majority of these emissions come from ruminants, which produce methane and CO2 during their digestion process. The gas then hangs in the air for 12 years before breaking down into carbon dioxide.
Reduced methane emissions from ruminant agriculture
Reducing ruminant agriculture’s emissions of methane is a significant challenge for farmers and policy makers alike. Methane is a major greenhouse gas produced during enteric fermentation. It can contribute up to 30 percent of the total anthropogenic methane emissions. Factors such as animal size and feed quality can contribute to the amount of methane produced. Fortunately, there are low-cost solutions that can help reduce emissions per unit of animal product produced. These strategies can benefit both livestock and humans.
Reducing ruminant emissions is an excellent way to combat climate change. Research has shown that improved feed, animal health and grazing management can reduce emissions by up to 38 percent. This means that it will not be necessary for everyone to go vegetarian or stop eating beef. Instead, it may be necessary to reduce ruminant meat consumption to 50 calories per day, or even just 1.5 burgers per person a week. This level is roughly half the U.S. average and more than 25 percent less than what is done in Europe. This level of reduction will also eliminate the need for additional deforestation and agricultural expansion.
Methane emissions from ruminant agriculture are a serious concern for the environment. In the United States alone, ruminant farming contributes more methane to the atmosphere than the oil and gas industry. This gas is produced by bacteria, archea, protozoa and fungi living in the rumen, which allow ruminant animals to acquire nutrition from plant matter. This biogenic gas is known as enteric methane. Approximately 90 percent of it is expelled in the breath and the rest is produced by flatulence.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. It traps more heat than carbon dioxide and contributes to global climate change. Fortunately, scientists are working to develop methods of reducing the ruminant footprint. By altering the diet of livestock, a significant reduction in methane emissions can be made. Dietary supplements can also have a substantial impact.
The research team estimated that reduced methane emissions from ruminant farming can mitigate climate change. It compared six alternatives: improving ruminant diets, reducing livestock numbers, and modifying land use practices. The results showed that the adoption of each of these options can reduce emissions of methane. It is important to note that these strategies do not guarantee a significant reduction in methane.
Methane’s atmospheric lifetime is only about 12.4 years. During this time, the atmosphere removes 80-89 percent of the CH4 through hydroxyl oxidation, which is also known as stratospheric chlorine oxidation. In addition to this, soil oxidation removes some of the CH4 from the atmosphere. Thus, if all ruminant farmers were to reduce CH4 emissions, there would not be any change in climate after twenty years.
Despite the evidence to the contrary, reducing agricultural CH4 emissions could have a relatively small effect on climate. Slowing down CH4 emissions in ruminant farming is a good way to be climate-neutral, but reducing emissions too rapidly could give free rein to CO2 emitters. Further, the fact that livestock CH4 emissions are biological makes these emissions less problematic than those from fossil fuels.
