Methane and Global Environmental Change

Global atmospheric methane concentrations have continued to rise in recent years, having already more than doubled since the Industrial Revolution. Further environmental change, especially climate change, in the twenty-first century has the potential to radically alter global methane fluxes. Importa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual Review of Environment and Resources
Main Authors: Reay, Dave S., Smith, Pete, Christensen, Torben R., James, Rachael H., Clark, Harry
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
feedbacks
sources
sinks
Paris Climate Agreement
mitigation
adaptation
RUMEN RETENTION TIME
LAND-USE CHANGE
GULF-OF-MEXICO
ATMOSPHERIC METHANE
CLIMATE-CHANGE
NITROUS-OXIDE
ARCTIC-OCEAN
ANAEROBIC OXIDATION
SURFACE-WATER
LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Climate change
Online Access:https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/methane-and-global-environmental-change(374eba55-2485-4528-8007-75bb3a0ba9d5).html
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-030154
Description
Summary:Global atmospheric methane concentrations have continued to rise in recent years, having already more than doubled since the Industrial Revolution. Further environmental change, especially climate change, in the twenty-first century has the potential to radically alter global methane fluxes. Importantly, changes in temperature, precipitation, and net primary production may induce positive climate feedback effects in dominant natural methane sources such as wetlands, soils, and aquatic ecosystems. Anthropogenic methane sources may also be impacted, with a risk of enhanced emissions from the energy, agriculture, and waste sectors. Here, we review the global sources of methane, the trends in fluxes by source and sector, and their possible evolution in response to future environmental change. We discuss ongoing uncertainties in flux estimation and projection, and highlight the great potential for multisector methane mitigation as part of wider global climate change policy.

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