
Methane (CH4) is one of the worst greenhouse gases, the third major driver of climate change, after water vapor and carbon dioxide. About 30% of global warming is attributed to this powerful warming agent. The methane molecule has one carton and four hydrogen atoms. While it does not remain in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide, methane is over 80 times more effective at trapping heat in the near term.
Methane comes from natural and human sources including leaky fuel pipes, oil and gas operations, landfills and burping livestock. A single cow can burp over 200 pounds (91 kg) of methane per year. Thawing Arctic permafrost also emits methane that is stored in frozen roots, soil and bones. In a troubling feedback loop, higher temperatures melt this frozen tundra, which releases more methane and accelerates global warming even more. Methane levels are more than 150 percent higher than they were before the industrial revolution and emissions have surged in recent decades. Reducing this gas must be part of the plan to address climate change.