Key Takeaways:
– The Environmental Defense Fund is collaborating with Google to develop a methane-monitoring satellite.
– Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and its levels have drastically increased.
– The data from the satellite is planned to be made public and tracked to specific sources.
In the discourse surrounding climate change, the escalating levels of carbon dioxide often dominate. However, paralleling this surge is the equally alarming rise in methane levels. Methane significantly surpasses carbon dioxide in potency as a greenhouse gas. Surprisingly, waste, particularly during extraction and distribution, contributes mostly to atmospheric methane, unlike carbon dioxide which is a byproduct of valuable processes.
Controlling Methane Emissions
Tackling increasing methane emissions provides one of the most accessible solutions to decelerating greenhouse warming. Nonetheless, the job of monitoring these emissions remains challenging, primarily due to their origin from miscellaneous small sources. Addressing this issue, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has undertaken the initiative to launch its own methane-monitoring satellite.
On Wednesday, EDF announced its partnership with tech giant Google to make the data from this satellite available to the public, linking it to specific sources.
The MethaneSAT Initiative
Within a span of two decades, methane’s potential to induce greenhouse warming is 84 times more than that of carbon dioxide. The majority of methane in the atmosphere eventually reacts with oxygen, forming water vapor and carbon dioxide, both well-known culprits of greenhouse gas emissions.
The methane levels in the atmosphere are relatively low, currently at less than two parts per million, compared with over 400 parts per million for carbon dioxide. However, an escalating trend has been observed since monitoring began.
Google’s Role
Google’s partnership with EDF opens up a new perspective in tackling methane emissions. The tech giant’s involvement provides scope for more intensive data analysis, enabling the linking of emissions data to specific locations. Also, Google’s robust platform supports the dissemination of this data to the public.
Benefits and Outcomes
The partnership between Google and EDF aims to raise awareness about the impact of methane on climate change. They aim to ensure transparency, encourage responsibility among corporations, and help shape policies that combat climate change.
In conclusion, the initiative led by the EDF, now backed by Google, takes a crucial step in controlling methane emissions. The MethaneSAT initiative provides an accessible, efficient, and potential solution towards decelerating greenhouse warming. It leads us one step further in our collective journey to combat climate change.