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Levels of methane—the second biggest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide—have spiked in the atmosphere in the past decade. And a study says fracking in North America could be partly to blame.
The gas is linked to climate change, as well as ground-level ozone levels that can harm agriculture. It can also trigger a range of health problems, including chest pains, as well as reducing lung function and worsening conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.
[...] For the new study, Howarth looked at existing research on the levels of certain carbon isotopes of atmospheric methane to find a potential source, and created an equation to investigate the link.
Methane is a compound made up of carbon and hydrogen. While methane released in the late 20th century was enriched with the carbon isotope 13C, Howarth highlights methane released in recent years features lower levels. That's because the methane in shale gas has depleted levels of the isotope when compared with conventional natural gas or fossil fuels such as coal, he explained.
This lead Howarth to conclude: "The commercialization of shale gas and oil in the 21st century has dramatically increased global methane emissions."
[...] This could help the commitment of the Paris Agreement be met.
[...] "If we can stop pouring methane into the atmosphere, it will dissipate. It goes away pretty quickly, compared to carbon dioxide. It's the low-hanging fruit to slow global warming."
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday August 30 2019, @10:31AM (3 children)
"Natural gas is a clean burning low CO2 emitting fuel" - sure is, when you burn it. When you crack the ground and suck it out, did you really expect to not leak any?
IIRC, some of the side effects of fracking include flammable drinking water in nearby homes, for every bit of fuel that makes it into the domestic water supply there must be 100x as much that just dissipates up into the air.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 4, Informative) by Snow on Friday August 30 2019, @02:54PM (1 child)
Timely...
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/08/trump-admin-announces-plan-to-kill-2016-methane-emissions-limits/ [arstechnica.com]
(Score: 4, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Friday August 30 2019, @03:42PM
The dude is 70-what years old? Of course he wants to "go out with a bang" - I don't see any indication that he cares at all what happens after he's left office, or dies.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @03:02PM
One of the other side effects of fracking: more earthquakes.
posting from a shaking house in Oklahoma....
rts008