<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/14/livestock-farming-and-fossil-fuels-could-drive-4c-global-heat-rise>
"Animal farming and fossil fuels have driven global emissions of the
potent greenhouse gas methane to the highest level on record, putting
the world on track for dangerously increased heat levels of 3C to 4C.
Since 2000 discharges of the odourless, colourless gas have risen by
more than 50m tonnes a year, equivalent to 350m cars or double the total
emissions of Germany or France, according to the latest Methane Budget
study by a global team of scientists.
The findings, published in Earth System Science Data and Environmental
Research Letters, show that more than half of the methane in the
atmosphere now comes from human sources. Of this share, ranching,
agriculture and landfills account for about two-thirds, while the fossil
fuel industry, composed of oil, gas and coal, makes up the rest.
Methane is second only to carbon dioxide in its contribution to global
heating; the gas is released in much smaller quantities but is 28 times
more powerful at trapping warmth over a 100-year span.
In 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, the planet’s
atmosphere absorbed almost 600m tonnes of methane, up 9% from the early
years of the century when concentrations were relatively stable."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
http://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
