A Rising Problem: Methane More Dangerous than Previously Thought

 By Ryan Mathew

As environmental concerns about our planet, and its capability to keep life on it, grows more and more there is a popular subject among mainstream media: pollution. This one event that has been rapidly expanding on earth has the capability to destroy all life on the planet, yet humanity does not seem to want to move to stop it. Humanity produces many emissions that heavily contribute to the destruction of our earth through air and ozone pollution, and among these emissions is one that can be dealt with more readily than attempting to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions. While carbon dioxide has a harsher effect over a long period of time, methane that has not been burned is actually one of the worst emissions over a short period of time and one we should be actively trying to stop.

Methane production in the U.S. alone was measured in 2017 to total 10.2% of all greenhouse gasses (Greenhouse Gas Emissions). Methane is deadly in the short term and is a major problem that we should be focusing on reducing, but we have seen no great changes in the overwhelming production of methane in the world. While CO2 will hurt humanity far more in the long run, if we cannot reduce the amount of methane we produce in a decade or two then we will not be able to worry about the long term effects of CO2. Methane is a deadly greenhouse gas that should take priority in being reduced over CO2 in order to allow humanity a chance in the short term.

Methane when naturally occurring is a regular process that does not negatively impact our environment; the real problem occurs when unburnt methane leaks into the atmosphere. Unburnt methane is 100 times more capable of trapping energy over CO2 and leads in man-made climate change contributions (The climate impacts of methane emissions). Methane also has 21 times more Global Warming Potential (GWP) over CO2. Although methane typically has an average shelf life of only nine years, the potency of its effects is terribly high and can wreck disaster on the earth in its short life; comparatively, while CO2 has an average shelf life of up to 100 years its short term effect is paltry in comparison.

This all begs the question of why worry about the short term? If CO2 sticks around in our atmosphere longer than why worry about methane over CO2? The simple answer is the fact that if we do not reduce the amount of unburned methane we produce in places like factories, farms, and oil/gas facilities the earth will not be able to handle the amount of heat being pumped into its atmosphere. We are filling our own air with toxins and poison that have devastating effects on our only home. If we do not reduce our methane production, along with other greenhouse gasses, then scientists warn we only have 11 years before irreversible damage is done to our environment and we as humans are doomed to kill our natural home. (Only 11 Years Left).

However the threat level of Methane is higher than previously thought by scientists. Apparently the methane reports previously given have been off by around 25%, making the situation far worse. Methane leakage has been found to be over 60% higher on U.S. oil and gas operations than previously estimated by officials (The climate impacts of methane emissions). The numbers that were estimated in the past concerning methane production around the world were recalculated by a team of over 100 academic researchers and natural gas industries. The problem with calculating such vast numbers is the fact that the methane produced naturally and the methane produced by leakages and humans look identical. 

This is terrifying news as the efforts that were already in place to combat greenhouse gas productions were not enough, and now we have even higher amounts than previously thought and an even weaker infrastructure in dealing with this problem. The production of methane is a serious issue that has not even hit the headlines of major news outlets, yet this can be the reason the earth loses its protective atmosphere and ozone layer. Methane should not be underestimated, especially when compared to CO2, and it should be taken into serious account in stopping pollution.

Methane is an atrociously vicious greenhouse gas that has been underestimated in creating pollution. While many people concern themselves with CO2, methane is a far deadlier problem with a fast approaching deadline to reduce the causes of global climate change. We as humans have to concern ourselves with finding a way to drastically reduce our unburned methane production and leakage lest our atmosphere be ruined. The excessive production of methane and its destruction of our environment must take a very high priority in action plans.

Bibliography

“Methane Emitted by Humans Vastly Underestimated.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 19 Feb. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200219113746.htm.

“The Climate Impacts of Methane Emissions.” Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org/climate-impacts-methane-emissions.

“Overview of Greenhouse Gases.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 16 Mar. 2020, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases.

“Only 11 Years Left to Prevent Irreversible Damage from Climate Change, Speakers Warn during General Assembly High-Level Meeting | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/press/en/2019/ga12131.doc.htm.