<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/12/revealed-the-1200-big-methane-leaks-from-waste-dumps-trashing-the-planet>
"There have been more than 1,000 huge leaks of the potent greenhouse gas
methane from landfill waste dumps since 2019, the
Guardian can reveal.
Analysis of global satellite data from around the world shows the populous
nations of south Asia are a hotspot for these super-emitter events, as well as
Argentina and Spain, developed countries where proper waste management should
prevent leaks.
Landfills emit methane when organic waste such as food scraps, wood, card,
paper and garden waste decompose in the absence of oxygen. Methane, also called
natural gas, traps 86 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide
over 20 years, making it a critical target for climate action. Scientists have
said emissions from unmanaged landfills could double by 2050 as urban
populations grow, blowing the chance of avoiding climate catastrophe.
A total of 1,256 methane super-emitter events occurred between January 2019 and
June 2023, according to the new data. Pakistan, India and Bangladesh lead the
list of nations with the most large leaks, followed by Argentina, Uzbekistan
and Spain.
Landfill emissions can be reduced by creating less organic waste in the first
place, diverting it away from landfill, or at least capturing some of the
methane that is being released from the landfills. Action to stem methane leaks
slows global heating faster than almost any other measure and is often
low-cost, with some measures even paying for themselves when the captured gas
is sold as fuel.
Methane emissions have accelerated since 2007 and cause a third of the global
heating driving the climate crisis today. The acceleration has alarmed
scientists, who fear it is the biggest threat to keeping below 1.5C of global
heating and could trigger catastrophic climate tipping points. The rapid rise
appears to be due to global heating driving more methane production in wetlands
– a potential vicious circle that makes cuts of human-caused methane emissions
even more urgent."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
