What's the deal with methane?

Methane: you’ve probably heard of it, but what is it and why is it important to reduce it?

Methane is a greenhouse gas mainly emitted from dumpsites, oil and gas wells, coal mines, wetlands and cow burps.

What you may not know is that methane emissions are the second largest contributor to climate change, making up about 30% of the net warming impact of all greenhouse gases.In fact, when it comes to heating the planet, methane is over 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. While there are many natural sources of methane, about 60% of it comes from human activity.

While methane may be more harmful than other gases , it doesn’t last so long in the atmosphere. Compared to CO2, which lingers for centuries, methane stays about 12 years in the atmosphere. So reducing methane emissions can help reduce temperature increases in the short term, while we work on longer term climate solutions.

Most methane solutions don’t cost that much to implement and are within our reach. Methane is a byproduct of oil, gas and coal production. Leak detectors can be installed and damaged equipment be repaired to contain methane. When it comes to waste, we should be composting all organic material to reduce emissions. Changing rice growing patterns, breeds of cattle and their diets can reduce emissions of the agricultural sector by 20% by 2030. Our diets are also important. Reducing meat intake by just one or two less servings a week can have a significant impact.

The UNEP Emissions Gap Report shows that cutting methane emissions by 45% this decade would help keep warming beneath the threshold agreed by world leaders. Over 100 countries have joined a pledge to collectively reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030. But, if we are to limit global warming to 2 degrees, countries need to ramp up methane reduction targets in their nationally-determined-contributions.

In short, reducing methane is a low hanging fruit in the race to tackle climate change.

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[jojopornebo]

You're missing the root source of methane - it comes afrom all organics so regardless if the producer are animals or the ground organics are what the sources of methane.

[DrSimonGuerreroCruz]

Not mentioning wastwater and sewage and rice agrculture in particular, is a huge dissapointment. I have tried so many times to apply for UNEP Methane programs, as a real methane scientist and still nothing. Everyone in charge of these programs has no real career in the science of methane, it is dishartening. It pains me to see such incomplete overviews. Also, methane comes form microorganisms (outside of oil and energy) and yet this seems to be out of the equation in all these superficial discussoins and reports.

[Sam-Icy]

If methane is the 2nd biggest then whats the first?

[edgeGabe]

Careful kids we are living in a tiny bubble.

[id]

Did anyone understood how we are lowering methane🤔🤔🤔

[monicabello]

Yeah, if we all bacame vegetarian then we will be the main source of methane instead of those poor cows.