The scientists have warned that incremental rise in methane levels in the atmosphere are threatening to hinder the plans to hold the global temperature rise to two degrees.
The rise in methane levels which is considerably a powerful greenhouse gas has strengthened over the past four years. In order to avoid further rise of global warming and temperature, urgent action is needed to stop any further rise in methane in the atmosphere. The reason for such a rise is still unknown and has created a very alarming situation across the world.
Methane breaks down much more quickly than carbon dioxide and is found at much lower levels in the atmosphere. As per the studies, increase in level can be attributed to the biological in origin, still the right reason remains unclear. It is argued that rising number of cattle and wetter and warmer swamps are producing more and more of methane.
In a recent study, samples of air have been collected from Uganda and Zambia. As per the recent analysis, it has been found that a great crest of methane now rises above the wetland swamps of Lake Bangweul in Zambia.
Other scientists have this belief that the natural chemicals in the atmosphere which help in breaking down methane might be changing because of rise in temperature. Hence, causing it lose its ability to deal with the gas.
The nations in 2016, in Paris agreed to cooperate to hold global temperature rises to two degrees above the pre-industrial levels and if possible and feasible to keep the rise under 1.5 degrees. If the increase is accelerated in methane, task seems to be much harder.
The emissions are growing on daily basis and maybe the problem could be due to the fact that our atmosphere is now losing its ability to break down the methane.
Image Credit: Deccan Chronicle
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