Massive new source of leaking methane gas emissions discovered

[Judi Lynn]

02-24-2025

By Rodielon Putol
Earth.com staff writer

These frozen bubbles of methane gas are eerily beautiful, but don’t let appearances fool you. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is often overshadowed by carbon dioxide in discussions on climate change, even though the impact of methane is far more serious.

The effects of industrial pollution, car emissions, deforestation and agriculture are usually central when we consider the forces driving climate change. However, researchers have now uncovered an unexpected and significant source of methane emissions, hidden beneath the icy landscapes of the Arctic.

Methane is a potent climate driver

As powerhouse greenhouse gas, methane doesn’t get as much attention as carbon dioxide. However, it’s way more potent – about 80 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere over 20 years. Methane comes from natural sources like wetlands and termites, but human activities crank up emissions big time.

Livestock, landfills, and oil and gas operations release massive amounts of methane into the air. Cows, for example, burp out methane as they digest food (yep, cow burps are a real climate problem).

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Investigating methane leaks from glaciers

Gabrielle Kleber and Leonard Magerl, postdoctoral researchers from UiT, The Arctic University of Norway’s iC3 (Centre for Ice, Cryosphere, Carbon, and Climate), have discovered that Arctic glaciers are not as innocent as they may seem.

More:
https://www.earth.com/news/massive-new-source-of-methane-emissions-discovered-glacial-fracking-arctic/