Earlier this year, scientists have discovered that CO2 contamination in the atmosphere is seriously alarming and after several studies, methane emissions are more hazardous unlike before. Methane emissions are hard to measure since they are emitted by different sources, but biological and fossil fuels are the primary sources.
How Methane Emissions Did Reach This Level?
Last 2007, methane concentrations were the same until this year when it slowly arose while in 2012, carbon dioxide emissions started to rise.
Methane emissions can contribute to greenhouse gases. Methane is a more potent gas than CO2 based on an observation for the last 100 years. But even if the former is more dominant, it has a less serious effect on the climate. At least that is what was previously thought. Now, it seems that scientists have understimated the gas' impact.
Fossil fuel industry is releasing 20-60 percent of methane compared to its emissions before. Yearly, the atmosphere is contaminated up to 160 tons of methane because of fossil fuels. Globally, methane emissions are 60-110 percent, in a report on I4U.
"Methane emissions from fossil fuel development have been dramatically underestimated," explained Stefan Schwietzke, a scientist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and lead author of the study.
The researchers are still examining and studying the contribution of coal, oil and gases in the methane emissions, though the researchers found out that the fossil fuel industry will not grow anytime sooner.
Gas Leaks Are Strictly Monitored
Officials of Bureau of Land Management is monitoring land-based oil and gas companies, while Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is responsible for sea-based activities and uses infrared cameras to detect the gases being emitted.
Government Accountability Office (GAO) has the results and found out those leaks of gases was 30 times higher, according to Scientific American.
"The development and use of natural gas from shale has helped the U.S. lead the world in cutting power-sector carbon emissions, which are near 20-year lows," reiterated by Kyle Isakower, API's Vice President of regulatory affairs.
