Increasing Methane level in the atmosphere
We normally associate carbon dioxide when we talk about Global warming. Carbon dioxide traps heat and when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the planet’s temperature increases as well. Methane could also trap heat and is 30 times more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Recent studies show that the methane level in the Arctic is increasing at an alarming rate. Methane concentration in the world’s atmosphere was between 0.6 to 07 in warm periods and from 0.3 and 0.4 parts per million during cool periods. Methane concentrations in the Arctic now average about 1.85 parts per million and has been highest in the last 400,000 years. The methane has been trapped in the permafrost for years and is now being release to the atmosphere due to the warming of the planet. The East Siberian Arctic shelf is releasing a large amount of methane comparable to the amount of methane release by the entire world’s ocean.
Other sources of methane come from rice fields. 10 percent of the methane in the atmosphere comes from rice farming. Methane in the rice field is created when organic material submerged in water decomposes. Several green groups have asked billion people who rely on rice as their staple food to eat less of it. This seems like an extreme measure and doesn’t seem like the right solution. Reiner Wassmann, a biologist specializing in climate change at the International Rice Research Institute said that the problem does not lie on the consumption of rice but on its production. Using less water is the key to lessen the methane emission. This could be done through draining of the rice field during the growing season. There is only one problem though, several farms uses nitrogen fertilizer. Draining of the rice field would cause the release of a more potent Nitrous Oxide.
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