Atmospheric methane levels have surged in the last decade and scientists aren't sure why
Levels of atmospheric methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide—have surged over the past decade, and scientists are not sure why.
“The current growth [in methane] has now lasted over a decade,” the study said. “If growth continues at similar rates through subsequent decades, evidence presented here demonstrates that the extra climate warming impact of the methane can significantly negate or even reverse progress in climate mitigation from reducing CO2 emissions.”
In the study, scientists noted that while the growth of methane had been reported across the globe, it was especially notable in the tropics and northern mid‐latitudes. “The increase is continuing,” the team wrote, adding that since 2007, the carbon isotope ratio—which is normally used to identify the origin of the methane—had changed significantly, indicating a shift of the source.
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