METHANE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: A new study reveals a startling increase in methane levels since the early 2020s, with substantial rises linked to wetlands and fossil fuel emissions. The potent greenhouse gas, crucial in global warming, has seen a significant uptick.

Methane

• About: It is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas.
• Properties: Colourless, odourless and highly flammable gas.
• Greenhouse Gas Properties: Methane is classified as a greenhouse gas (GHG), influencing Earth's temperature and climate patterns.
• Diverse Emission Sources: Methane emissions stem from various anthropogenic and natural origins, contributing to its presence in the atmosphere.
• Anthropogenic Emission Sources: Human activities such as landfills, oil and gas systems, agriculture, and industrial processes are major contributors to methane emissions.

Key Points of Study

• Methane Growth Rate Increase: In 2015-2019, methane growth rates were 7-10 parts per billion (ppb) per year, which jumped to roughly 12–18 ppb per year between 2020–2023, said the study.
• Methane's Impact on Global Temperatures: Methane is responsible for roughly a third of the rise in global temperatures. 

oThe greenhouse gas is about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) in 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere.

• Wetland Emissions and Microbes: It can be attributed to microbes that consume organic material and produce methane as a byproduct.
• Influence of La Niña and ENSO Patterns: The persistent La Niña pattern and cool phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, also known as ENSO, may contribute to this phenomenon.
• Mitigating Methane Emissions: The US, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and 10 other countries have been identified as having the highest potential to mitigate methane emissions from oil and gas.
• Mitigation Potential in Landfills and Energy Generation: Some countries with large populations, such as India, Brazil, and Mexico, have significant mitigation potential in landfills (waste sector), as do others with smaller populations, such as Azerbaijan, Poland, Peru, and the United Arab Emirates. 

oIndia, for instance, can benefit the most from energy generation, the study showed.