Over the years, the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased significantly. Due to this, the rate of global warming has fastened too, leading to gradual climate change. Initially, many people refused to believe that climate change is real.
However, this year it has finally been recognized as a crisis that needs immediate attention. Many people in the government believe that cutting methane is the solution to climate change.
Meanwhile, others argue that it is not the right approach. Here is everything you need to know about this debate of the correct solution for climate change.
What Is Methane?
Recently the UN released a report regarding climate change. As per the report, methane is causing at least 30 to 50% of global warming.
Methane is a greenhouse gas that is released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. The agricultural industry contributes the highest percent. The gas is released through cow dung which is used as fertilizer for many crops.
Why Is Methane Dangerous?
Methane is considered to be highly dangerous. That is because it is at least 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 is another greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Due to its potency, many officials believe that reducing methane will help in fighting against climate change. It is claimed that cutting back on this gas would prevent thousands of premature deaths. Some government officials also say that crop losses due to wildfires from climate change will also decrease significantly.
However, scientists beg to differ. Here are the opinions of some prominent researchers.
What Do Researchers Think About Cutting Methane?
Many individuals have given their two cents on solutions to fixing climate change. And there is a unanimous agreement that only reducing methane is not the right approach. Raymond Pierrehumbert, a physics professor at Oxford University, expressed his reservation about the idea.
The professor spoke in great detail that although methane is a greenhouse gas, it breaks down within a decade. Meanwhile, CO2 remains in the atmosphere for centuries. That is why investing in cutting methane will only have a short-term benefit.
Meanwhile, a research scientist also expresses the same views. According to him, if we had to choose between cutting on methane or carbon dioxide, we should prioritize the reduction of carbon dioxide.
What Is The Right Fix For Climate Change?
Experts claim the control of methane is a beneficial yet temporary solution. The right approach to controlling the climate crisis is to reduce both gases with more attention towards carbon dioxide.
Besides that, reducing methane will be more challenging than carbon dioxide. That is because the primary source of gas is agriculture. This means that many people will have to change their eating lifestyle and cut down on beef. This will also hurt the meat industry.
Final Thoughts
If we want to save our planet, climate change needs to be controlled. That is why we should be taking a collective initiative against greenhouse gases. Prioritizing one while neglecting the other will only be making us prone to more harm.