Methane and its impact on climate change
It is important to understand what methane is in
order to understand its impact on climate change. Methane is a chemical
compound made up of one atom of carbon and four atoms of hydrogen—its chemical
formula being CH4. There is a lot of methane found on earth, which makes it a
viable option to create fuel. Methane is the main element of natural gas.
Methane is also one of the largest contributors to climate change. While carbon
dioxide (CO2) is considered the leading cause of climate change thanks to
burning fossil fuels and deforestation, methane still has an impact. The
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) states that methane emissions make up “about
25% of the manmade global warming that we are experiencing”.
While there are some arguments about the largest source of methane emissions, many environmental organizations appear to agree that methane emissions largely come from oil and gas industries such as natural gas and petroleum systems. According the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2014 the United States consumed approximately 26.70 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas.
While there are some arguments about the largest source of methane emissions, many environmental organizations appear to agree that methane emissions largely come from oil and gas industries such as natural gas and petroleum systems. According the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2014 the United States consumed approximately 26.70 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas.
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