PARIS: Researchers have revealed that methane levels in the atmosphere are increasing at a faster rate than other major greenhouse gases, posing a significant challenge to climate targets. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, highlights that methane concentrations are now 2.6 times higher than in pre-industrial times.
Methane, the second-largest greenhouse gas produced by human activity after carbon dioxide, primarily comes from agriculture, energy production, and organic waste in landfills. Over the first 20 years, methane’s impact on the atmosphere is about 80 times that of carbon dioxide, though it breaks down more quickly.
Despite ongoing efforts to reduce methane emissions, concentrations continue to rise. In the 2000s, an average of 6.1 million tonnes of methane was added to the atmosphere each year. By the 2010s, this figure increased to 20.9 million tonnes, reaching 41.8 million tonnes in 2020.
Most countries, except for Europe and Australia which show a slight decrease, have seen a rise in methane emissions. The largest increases have been in China and Southeast Asia, mainly due to coal extraction, oil and gas production, and landfills. Natural sources of methane have also increased due to the La Niña weather phenomenon.
The drop in nitrogen oxides pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic paradoxically contributed to higher methane levels, as nitrogen oxides help prevent methane accumulation in the atmosphere.
The rising methane levels undermine global efforts to limit warming to under 2 degrees Celsius. In 2021, the Global Methane Pledge aimed to cut global methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. While over 150 countries have signed the pledge, major emitters like China, India, and Russia have not.
Lead author Rob Jackson from Stanford University expressed concern that the pledge’s goals might seem as distant as a mirage. China and the United States are set to host a summit on greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide later this year, potentially leading to new pledges.