Climate change poses a significant challenge for humanity, with wide-ranging impacts on our planet’s ecosystems and future generations’ welfare. Although carbon dioxide (CO2) tends to receive the most attention in conversations about greenhouse gas emissions, it’s also important to acknowledge the significant impact of methane (CH4).
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, with a warming potential more than 25 times higher than CO2 over 100 years. Therefore, it is essential to prioritise effective methane management to address the challenges of climate change. This article delves into the impact of methane management on climate change and highlights essential strategies for reducing methane emissions.
Methane emissions contribute significantly to global warming and climate change hastening. Although methane’s atmospheric concentration is lower than that of CO2, its ability to trap heat is much stronger. As per the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, methane contributes to around 16% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Some major contributors to methane emissions are the energy sector, agriculture (specifically livestock and rice cultivation), landfills, and natural gas production and distribution.
- Energy sector: Leaks in oil and gas production, transportation, and distribution systems significantly impact global methane emissions. We can significantly reduce methane leaks by implementing robust monitoring and detection technologies and adhering to top-notch infrastructure maintenance practices. Furthermore, adopting cleaner energy sources, such as renewable energy, can help reduce methane emissions from burning fossil fuels.
- Agriculture: Livestock farming, especially cattle and sheep, contributes significantly to methane emissions because of their digestive processes. Making dietary changes, like incorporating specific supplements to decrease methane production in livestock, can be a successful approach. Enhancing manure management systems, like anaerobic digestion, has the potential to capture methane emissions and transform them into valuable energy.
- Landfills: When organic waste decomposes in landfills, methane emissions are released. Implementing landfill gas collection systems that capture and utilise methane for energy generation can significantly reduce these emissions. In addition, advocating for waste reduction, recycling, and composting can help decrease the amount of organic waste in landfills, reducing methane emissions.
- Methane emissions can occur during natural gas extraction, processing, and distribution. By adopting cutting-edge technologies like leak detection systems and enhanced well designs, we can substantially reduce methane leaks during these operations. Furthermore, advocating for renewable energy sources and shifting away from fossil fuels can help reduce methane emissions associated with natural gas.
The advantages of Methane management:
- Addressing climate change: By taking steps to reduce methane emissions, we can significantly mitigate global warming and minimise climate change’s consequences. Reducing methane emissions can have a more immediate impact on temperature reduction, as methane has a shorter lifespan in the atmosphere than CO2.
- Ground-level ozone, which can cause air pollution and negatively impact human health, originates from atmospheric methane. Effectively managing methane emissions can enhance air quality and mitigate the prevalence of respiratory diseases and other health concerns.
- Emphasising the potential economic benefits, implementing methane management strategies can lead to developing innovative technologies, job creation, and producing renewable energy through captured methane. This transition can also contribute to a more diverse range of energy sources and decrease our reliance on fossil fuels.
Effective methane management is essential to tackling climate change and curbing the release of harmful greenhouse gases. We can make substantial progress in reducing methane emissions and addressing the challenges posed by global warming by implementing well-planned strategies across various sectors such as energy, agriculture, landfills, and natural gas production.
There are numerous advantages to managing methane beyond reducing climate impacts. These include better air quality, enhanced human health, and increased economic prospects. As we work towards creating a sustainable future, it is crucial to prioritise methane management to safeguard the health and resilience of our planet for future generations.
By Olumide Idowu, Executive Director, ICCDI Africa
