A new study by federal scientists finds that increased methane emissions are due to agriculture, raising questions about the Obama administration’s plans to increase regulations on methane emissions from fossil fuel production.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a study Wednesday stating the amount of methane released during fossil fuel production is higher than previously estimated. However, that process isn’t as responsible for the uptick in methane emissions as the agriculture sector is, the study said.
“We believe methane produced by microbial sources – cows, agriculture, landfills, wetlands and fresh waters – are responsible for the increase, but we cannot yet pinpoint which are the primary drivers,” said Stefan Schwietzke, the lead author of the study and a scientist at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
“If the methane is mainly coming from cows or ag, then we could potentially do something about it. If it’s coming from decaying vegetation in wetlands or fresh waters, then a warming climate could be the culprit, which means that it could be part of a self-reinforcing feedback loop leading to more climate change. Those are big ifs, and we need to figure them out.”
The study reported fossil fuel activities contribute between 132 million and 165 million tons of methane, between 20 and 60 percent more than originally estimated. About 623 million tons of methane are emitted every year.
The study also concluded fossil fuel production is not directly responsible for the increased rate of global methane emissions that has been measured since 2007. It said the fossil fuel industry has reduced leaks from oil and gas facilities from about 8 percent of production to 2 percent of production in the last 30 years.
“Dramatic production increases have canceled out efficiency gains, however, keeping the overall contribution from fossil fuel activities constant,” NOAA reported.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 28 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, according to NOAA. It’s the second most abundant greenhouse gas contributing to global warming, according to the study.
Many scientists believe the greenhouse gases emitted from the burning of fossil fuels is causing climate change and the subsequent warming of the globe.
The Environmental Protection Agency began announcing nw regulations on methane earlier this year. The agency wants oil and gas producers to reduce methane leaks at new and modified drilling sites, and 14 states are suing the agency over the rule.
