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Vocapedia > Earth > Climate change

 

Greenhouse gases > Methane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

most important heat-trapping gases >

carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide        UK

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/06/
record-highs-heat-trapping-gases-climate-crisis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are the main

man-made greenhouse gases?        2011

 

The greenhouse gases

that humans do emit directly

in significant quantities are:



• Carbon dioxide (CO2).

Accounts for around three-quarters

of the warming impact of current

human greenhouse-gas emissions.

 

The key source of CO2

is the burning of fossil fuels

such as coal, oil and gas,

though deforestation

is also a very significant contributor.

 

 

 

 

• Methane (CH4).

Accounts for around 14%

of the impact of current human

greenhouse-gas emissions.

 

Key sources include agriculture

(especially livestock and rice fields),

fossil fuel extraction

and the decay of organic waste

in landfill sites.

 

Methane doesn't persist

in the atmosphere as long as CO2,

though its warming effect

is much more potent

for each gram of gas released.

 

 

 

 

• Nitrous oxide (N2O).

 

Accounts for around 8%

of the warming impact

of current human

greenhouse-gas emissions.

 

Key sources include agriculture

(especially nitrogen-fertilised soils

and livestock waste)

and industrial processes.

 

Nitrous oxide

is even more potent

per gram than methane.

 

 

 

 

Fluorinated gases ("F gases").

 

Account for around 1%

of the warming impact

of current human

greenhouse-gas emissions.

 

Key sources

are industrial processes.

 

F-gases

are even more potent per gram

than nitrous oxide.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/feb/04/
man-made-greenhouse-gases

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

methane,

the main component of natural gas        UK / USA

 

Methane

is a far more powerful greenhouse gas

than carbon dioxide,

though it doesn’t last

nearly as long in the atmosphere.

 

Still,

over a 20-year period,

one pound of it

traps as much heat

as at least 72 pounds

of carbon dioxide.

 

Its potency declines,

but even after a century,

it is at least 25 times

as powerful as carbon dioxide.

 

When burned, natural gas emits

half the carbon dioxide of coal,

but methane leakage

eviscerates this advantage

because of its heat-trapping power.

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/
opinion/gangplank-to-a-warm-future.html

 

 

2024

 

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/05/
1235694992/a-new-satellite-will-track-climate-warming-pollution-
heres-why-thats-a-big-deal

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/03/03/
climate/methane-satellite-launch-global-warming.html

 

 

 

 

2023

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/
climate/biden-methane-climate-cop28.html

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/09/
mind-boggling-methane-emissions-from-turkmenistan-revealed

 

 

 

 

2022

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/29/
1125894105/oil-field-flaring-methane-report

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/03/
1077392791/a-satellite-finds-massive-methane-leaks-from-gas-pipelines

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/01/27/
1075874473/gas-stoves-climate-change-leak-methane

 

 

 

 

2021

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/02/
climate/biggest-methane-emitters.html

 

 

 

 

2020

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/
climate/methane-emissions-record.html

 

 

 

 

2019

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/16/
climate/methane-leak-satellite.html

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/01/
new-zealand-begins-genetic-program-to-produce-low-methane-emitting-sheep

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/11/30/
783001327/chew-on-this-farmers-are-using-food-waste-to-make-electricity

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/15/
methane-emissions-from-coal-mines-could-stoke-climate-crisis-study

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/14/
fracking-causing-rise-in-methane-emissions-study-finds

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/17/
methane-levels-sharp-rise-threaten-paris-climate-agreement

 

 

 

 

2018

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/10/29/
661064123/worlds-biggest-pork-producer-pledges-to-cover-manure-ponds

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/03/
623645396/surf-and-turf-
to-reduce-gas-emissions-from-cows-scientists-look-to-the-ocean

 

https://www.npr.org/2018/06/23/
622727843/large-methane-leaks-threaten-perception-of-clean-natural-gas

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/11/
601557548/environmental-group-plans-methane-tracking-satellite

 

 

 

 

2017

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/09/22/
552698446/gassy-cows-warm-the-planet-scientists-think-they-know-how-to-squelch-those-belch

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/10/
527786637/senators-reject-effort-to-roll-back-greenhouse-gas-emissions-rule

 

http://www.npr.org/2017/05/03/
526729339/inside-the-debate-over-repealing-curbs-on-methane-leaks

 

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/
507100296/methanes-on-the-rise-but-regulations-to-stop-gas-leaks-still-debated

 

 

 

 

2016

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/26/
what-is-causing-the-rapid-rise-in-methane-emissions

 

 

 

 

2014

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/
opinion/joe-nocera-moment-of-truth-on-emissions.html

 

 

 

 

2013

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/
opinion/gangplank-to-a-warm-future.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

satellites > ESA >

TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI)

 

(it) can measure the methane

in any 12-square-mile block of the atmosphere,

day by day.

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/03/
1077392791/a-satellite-finds-
massive-methane-leaks-from-gas-pipelines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkmenistan > methane emissions        UK

 

Methane leaks from Turkmenistan’s

two main fossil fuel fields

 

Most of the facilities leaking the methane were owned

by Turkmenoil, the national oil company, Kayrros said.

 

Further undetected methane emissions

will be coming from Turkmenistan’s

offshore oil and gas installations in the Caspian Sea,

but the ability of satellites to measure methane leaks

over water is still being developed.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/09/
mind-boggling-methane-emissions-from-turkmenistan-revealed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

methane emissions from cows        USA

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/03/
623645396/surf-and-turf-
to-reduce-gas-emissions-from-cows-scientists-look-to-the-ocean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

livestock > climate-heating methane        UK

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2021/nov/26/
can-seaweed-help-solve-irelands-livestock-methane-problem-in-pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

methane emissions from coalmines        UK

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/15/
methane-emissions-from-coal-mines-could-stoke-climate-crisis-study

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas stoves leak climate-warming methane

even when they're off        USA

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/01/27/
1075874473/gas-stoves-climate-change-leak-methane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cut Methane emissions        USA

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/
climate/biden-methane-climate-cop28.html

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/29/
us/politics/white-house-unveils-plans-to-to-cut-methane-emissions.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explore more on these topics

Anglonautes > Vocapedia

 

climate change / crisis,

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Earth >

animals, wildlife,

resources,

agriculture / farming,

population,

waste, pollution,

global warming,

climate change,

weather,

disasters, activists

 

 

energy > renewables

 

 

commodities > energy > coal

 

 

commodities > energy > oil > gas

 

 

farming >

greenhouse gas, energy, animals, food

 

 

transport > cars

 

 

transports > electric cars, solar cars,

hybrid cars, hydrogen cars

 

 

 

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