9 votes

Fossil fuels aren’t the biggest source of surging methane emissions

6 comments

  1. [2]
    paris
    Link
    This article feels disingenuous in its mystified lack of conclusions. Bolding mine. 🤔🤔🤔 Hm, something’s missing from this second list of where these mysterious “microbes” might be coming from…...

    This article feels disingenuous in its mystified lack of conclusions.

    But microbial sources—such as wetlands, cattle, and landfills— are an even more significant source of methane, accounting for more than half of global emissions.

    Bolding mine.

    It remains unclear whether the increased microbial emissions came from natural sources like wetlands or human-driven sources, such as landfills and agriculture.

    🤔🤔🤔 Hm, something’s missing from this second list of where these mysterious “microbes” might be coming from…

    Meanwhile every other science says, “Hey, it’s animal agriculture, it’s cows, it’s cattle, it’s bovines.”

    What a mystery!

    9 votes
    1. sparksbet
      Link Parent
      It seems clear to me that "agriculture" in the second sentence includes cattle farming.

      It seems clear to me that "agriculture" in the second sentence includes cattle farming.

      11 votes
  2. [2]
    patience_limited
    Link
    There are just too many climate change-related confounders. The study does mention that microbial activity generally increases at higher temperatures, but doesn't mention that flooding increases...

    There are just too many climate change-related confounders. The study does mention that microbial activity generally increases at higher temperatures, but doesn't mention that flooding increases the release of methane from anaerobic digestion of buried plant matter. It didn't mention that thawing of permafrost also initiates microbial activity and methane release across broad swathes of formerly inert soils.

    4 votes
  3. [2]
    DynamoSunshirt
    Link
    Seems hard to believe that cattle emit more greenhouse gasses than actual natural gas leaks. But hey, I'm not scitechdaily...

    Seems hard to believe that cattle emit more greenhouse gasses than actual natural gas leaks. But hey, I'm not scitechdaily...

    1 vote
    1. json
      Link Parent
      In a way, cows burping are in fact a natural gas leak.

      In a way, cows burping are in fact a natural gas leak.

      2 votes