Methane – The shortcut to mitigating climate change
Often when we talk about climate change, the conversation centers around reducing our carbon footprint. This inevitably points to carbon dioxide being the main challenge, often missing the fact that CO2 is not the only greenhouse gas heating our home planet.
Methane, a less known greenhouse gas, has been responsible for around 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution (Chung, 2021, Methane emissions are driving climate change, UNEF, ). And while there are natural sources of this greenhouse gas, around 60% of methane is directly caused by human behavior (Borunda, 2019, Methane, Explained, National Geographic). This explains the massive spike we can see, and it will only increase unless we change our ways.
Why is this important?
HEAT
Our planet is heating up and the effects it is having are growing at an exponential rate. Melting ice sheets, warming oceans, an exponential increase in catastrophic weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, deadly heatwaves, and draughts – it all has one common denominator and that is HEAT.
The rising temperatures have set in motion our planet’s own natural warming mechanisms that are now feeding upon themselves causing an exponential growth in climate related disasters. Meanwhile, humans are caught up in our own amplifying loops of consuming our way to extinction feeding directly into the warming mechanism set in motion by our planet. We are heading straight for collapse of the living system we are all relying on – that is unless we cool our planet and do it fast.
Methane is like adding gasoline to an already roaring bon fire – but it can also act as the fire extinguisher.
So, what is special about methane? It is a short-lived gas which, fresh in the atmosphere, heats 120 times more efficiently than CO2. In contrast to carbon dioxide, which lingers in the atmosphere for hundreds if not thousands of years, methane has a lifespan of only 12 years until it combines with oxygen (oxidizes) to form more CO2 (Balcombe et all, 2018, Methane emissions: choosing the right climate metric and time horizon). Methane behaves a bit like a toddler with a temper tantrum: It burns hot right out of the bat but fizzles out quickly.
Because methane is a short-lived gas AND we emit so much of it, this presents an incredible opportunity to cool our planet FAST – we are talking within a decade. This is important as we may already be in the process of causing irreversible damage to the life supporting systems that sustain not just humans but also the millions of other creatures, we share this beautiful blue green planet with (Richardson et al, 2023, Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries.
Where does methane come from?
Methane is a naturally occurring greenhouse gas which has been a part of our atmosphere for billions of years. Just like CO2, there is nothing inherently bad about methane. In fact, we would not have an inhabitable planet if not for greenhouse gases absorbing the sun’s heat, keeping it in the atmosphere and in the process setting the scene for our “just right” Goldilocks home.
Most of methane’s natural emissions come from wetlands where some microbes produce methane just like mammals breathe out carbon dioxide. This accounts for 1/3 of all the methane in the atmosphere. The remaining “natural” occurring methane comes from a mix of thawing permafrost, the ocean floor, burning landscapes and termites (Borunda, 2019, Methane, Explained, National Geographic).
The majority of methane, however, is human caused or “anthropogenic” in nature. In other words, modern life is responsible for a more than doubling of methane in the atmosphere over the past 200 years. This explains why up to 30% of the warming of our planet can be attributed to methane.
A dangerous appetite
Of the anthropogenic methane emissions, the vast majority can be attributed to our insatiable appetite for beef as livestock production accounts for roughly 1/3 of methane emissions (Chung, 2021, Methane emissions are driving climate change, UNEF)! This is due to the digestive systems of ruminants which include microbes that help them break down and absorb the nutrients from tough grasses. These microbes produce methane as their waste, which is released out of both ends (yes, either as burbs or farts). This is what is referred to as “enteric fermentation”. In addition, the livestock waste creates perfect conditions for methane emitting microbes.
With population growth, economic development and urban migration the demand for animal protein is only increasing. Estimates are that by 2050 the demand will be 70 per cent higher than today (Chung, 2021, Methane emissions are driving climate change, UNEF).
Call to action!
In a world where we can see and feel the consequences of a changing climate, many people feel powerless. What are we to do? Sell our car and take the bus? Do we stop heating our houses? Do we never go on an airplane again? While there are sound arguments to be made to be aware of our driving habits, how we heat our house and choose to vacation, there is one thing that proves to be more impactful in the short run than ANYTHING else you can do. Can you guess what it is? It is what you put on your plate!
A study published in July 2023 in the esteemed journal “Nature”, shows that methane emissions of a fully plant-based diet was 93% lower than a meat heavy diet (Scarborough et al, 2023, Nature: Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts)! In other words, over a 20-year period, it will have more of an impact to remove 4 cows than 5 cars.