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Methane

M ethane (CH 4 ) is an odorless and colorless gas that contributes greatly to the greenhouse effect. It is the simplest hydrocarbon and is highly combustible. Since the time of the industrialization boom, the concen- tration of methane in the atmosphere has increased many times over. Meth- ane is responsible for almost half of the planet’s human-induced warming.

Uses Methane has a GWP of 21, which means that it is twenty-one times more effective than CO 2 in trapping heat. If methane is released directly into the atmosphere, it causes glob- al warming. To avoid environmental prob- lems, methane is used as a fuel to generate energy. It forms a major component of the natural gas found beneath the surface of the Earth.

Sources Methane is generated naturally by the de- composition of organic wastes in the ab- sence of oxygen. Wetlands , rice paddies, termites, oceans, permafrost, and wildfires generate large amounts of methane. Hu- man-influenced sources such as landfills, natural gas leaks, agricultural activities, fossil fuel mining, wastewater treatment, and certain industrial processes gener- ate 75 percent of the methane emissions worldwide.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

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