What a surprise. Humanity emits more methane than we previously thought

This discovery can be summarized as follows: we emit more greenhouse gases than we thought. I wonder what skeptics think about that.

To start with, the background, because not everyone has to be interested in the climate changes that our planet is currently undergoing. One of the main factors responsible for the fact that the average temperature on Earth increases, which causes the breaking of subsequent temperature records is that in the atmosphere of our planet the concentration of so-called greenhouse gases.

The most problematic greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and water vapor (H2O). These three chemicals have the largest share in blocking heat and retaining it in our atmosphere. Hence (among other things) the rising average temperature on our planet.

Today we will focus on methane

Methane is the second largest factor that affects the increase in temperature on Earth. Most of our species is responsible for its increasing concentration. Fortunately, the fact that methane stays in the atmosphere for about 9 years, i.e. several dozen times shorter than carbon dioxide.

How can we use this information? Think of methane as a litmus test. If we reduce our emissions, the methane concentration will begin to fall much faster than the carbon dioxide concentration. Based on this assumption, we can also measure our exact impact on the atmosphere.

First, however, it should be noted that the methane (CH4) released into the atmosphere can be divided into two categories:

• methane containing a heavier carbon isotope called C-14 - This type of methane is found in biological sources such as plants and animals.
• methane, which contains normal carbon, C-12 - This type of methane does not contain a heavier carbon isotope and is mainly found in fossil fuels. When we burn fossil fuels, we release this methane into the atmosphere. This type of methane is also released from natural geological sources, such as volcanic eruptions.

So we can measure the concentration of both types of methane and based on this, we estimate our share in this gas emissions. It's best to compare the composition of the current atmosphere with its composition from before the industrial age. How? Analyzing the composition of air frozen in ice. The older the ice, the older the air trapped in it. Where to find really old data?

For example, in Greenland, where scientists from the Niels Bohr Institute conduct their research. And so, bohrowanie in deep deposits of ice, these scientists found that the amount of fossil methane emitted by natural sources was much smaller than previously assumed. And if the natural emissions were smaller and underestimated, it means that our share in methane emissions is ... larger than we thought.

The amount of methane emitted by humanity is greater than we thought

Analyzes of air samples extracted from Greenland ice show that almost all methane emitted into the atmosphere until around 1870 was biological. Since then, the proportion of methane released when burning fossil fuels has started to increase rapidly. This time, by accident, coincides with the rapid increase in the consumption of these fossil fuels by our species.

Considering the total fossil fuel emissions measured today in the atmosphere, scientists have come to the conclusion that methane emissions released as a result of burning fossil fuels are between 25 and 40 percent. higher than previously assumed.

The results of this study further increase our share of greenhouse gas emissions. The second conclusion is that if most of the methane emissions come from human activities, we can change it very quickly. Unless of course we limit its emission. And it won't be that easy.

What a surprise. Humanity emits more methane than we previously thought