Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Reuters: US military carried out a new strike targeting a ship in the Caribbean Sea
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli raids targeted a cement plant, an asphalt factory, and fuel tanks in the Ansar area in South Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A series of violent Israeli raids targeted the outskirts of the town of Ansar
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli warplanes raided the outskirts of the town of Shmestar in Bekaa, eastern Lebanon
Donald Trump will speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday: White House
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes raid the town of Bnaafoul, Saida district
YAF: Israeli enemy will pay for this crime.
Yemeni Armed Forces: Son of Major General Al-Ghamari martyred alongside him in Israeli aggression.
Yemeni Armed Forces: YAF mourns martyrdom of Chief of the General Staff Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Palestinian shot and killed by IOF east of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip

Increase in atmospheric methane set another record last year: NOAA

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Apr 2022 11:56
  • 2 Shares
2 Min Read

Plugging methane leaks and phasing out fossil fuels are required to avoid catastrophic global warming, according to climate scientists.

  • x
  • The unprecedented increases in methane suggest it is being leaked from oil and gas drilling operations. (AP).
    The unprecedented increases in methane suggest it is being leaked from oil and gas drilling operations. (AP).

US governmental data revealed that atmospheric levels of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, increased by a record amount in 2021 for the second year in a row.

The concentration of methane in the Earth's atmosphere increased by 17 parts per billion (ppb) in 2021, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) monitoring. This constitutes the largest annual increase since modern measurements began in 1983. The previous high-water mark of 15.3 ppb was set in 2020.

While carbon dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels can linger in the atmosphere for generations, methane has a much shorter lifetime.

Related News

Trump admin dismisses hundreds of employees at US climate agency

Ferocious solar storm brings aurora borealis to US, UK skies

Methane, on the other hand, is a far more potent greenhouse gas: it is 25 times more effective at trapping heat and is a significant short-term driver of the climate crisis. Climate activists argue that methane is a "blow torch" to the climate, as opposed to CO2's gradual boil.

According to scientists, rapid reductions in methane could help prevent catastrophic global warming; however, record increases in methane suggest that it is being leaked from oil and gas drilling operations and released from agriculture at dangerously high rates.

On his account, Rick Spinrad, administrator of NOAA, said that “our data show that global emissions continue to move in the wrong direction at a rapid pace," adding that “the evidence is consistent, alarming, and undeniable.

“Reducing methane emissions is an important tool we can use right now to lessen the impacts of climate change in the near term and reduce the rate of warming,” said Spinrad.

Climate activists said the "alarming" rise in methane emissions should spur immediate action to plug methane leaks.

Read more: After the UK, Canada approves to drill more oil
  • Climate change
  • methane leaks
  • global warming
  • NOAA
STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
The bodies of deceased Palestinians, held by Israel during the war, lie in plastic bags on the floor of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following their release, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' returns 30 Palestinian bodies; some bear marks of torture

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of war debris as crisis deepens
Politics

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of debris, 20,000 lingering UXOs

Ex-White House adviser Ashley Tellis charged over secret files
Politics

Ex-White House advisor accused of amassing troves of top secret files

An Israeli soldier rests by a mobile artillery unit at a gathering point on the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern “Israel”, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Global arms bans isolate 'Israel', yet its war machine keeps running

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS