Warning on Methane Emissions

Methane emissions are emerging as a serious threat to global climate. Scientists and policymakers are calling for strong actions to reduce emissions of this gas.

What is Methane and its Impact?

Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon in the Alkane group, with the chemical formula CH₄. It is a primary component of natural gas, valuable as fuel. Methane also occurs naturally in pond mud, swamps, and biogas systems, often referred to as swamp gas or marsh gas.

While methane is not toxic to humans in well-ventilated environments, it has significant negative impacts on the environment and atmosphere:

• Greenhouse Effect: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping heat and increasing global temperatures. Emissions from gas fields, water ecosystems, and agriculture contribute to climate change.
• Air Pollution: In urban areas, methane from landfills, waste treatment plants, and drainage systems can pollute the air.
• Ozone Layer Depletion: Methane can interact with compounds in the stratosphere, contributing to ozone depletion and the “ozone hole” phenomenon.
• Explosion Risk: Methane is highly flammable and, in confined spaces, can create explosive hazards.

Global Efforts to Reduce Methane Emissions

At last year’s UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, over 100 countries committed to reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030. However, clear plans to achieve this goal remain elusive. Meanwhile, satellites have detected new methane emission sources, including oil wells and gas pipelines.

Methane accounts for about 60% of emissions from industrial sources, including oil, gas, livestock farming, crop lands, and landfills. Research indicates that reducing methane emissions is essential to keeping global warming below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.

Methane is a greenhouse gas 28 times stronger than CO₂ in terms of warming effects over 100 years, but up to 80 times stronger over 20 years. The impact of methane brings the earth closer to climate “tipping points.” Approximately 3/5 of methane emissions are from human activities, primarily livestock farming, fossil fuels, waste decomposition, and rice cultivation.

Challenges and Controversies

Identifying methane emission sources is crucial for policymakers to create regulations that reduce emissions. However, oil companies and some nations argue that natural gas should serve as a “bridge fuel” in the transition to renewable energy. They contend that burning natural gas emits only half the carbon per kilowatt-hour compared to coal. Nonetheless, methane leaks from the gas industry’s wells, pipelines, compressors, and other infrastructures could potentially be more harmful to the climate than coal.

Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper