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NASA finds super-emitters of methane

smithsonianmag.com

41–50 of 387 posts

Re: NASA finds super-emitters of methane

#41
> Together, the Turkmenistan sources release an estimated 111,000 pounds of methane gas per hour

If this is happening all the time, then the number of global methane emissions due to human activity on this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_emissions) Wikipedia page can't be valid.

Crazy how human negligence and greed might end humanity.

Re: NASA finds super-emitters of methane

#45
So - looking at this it seems Turkmenistan [a repressive, North Korea style dictatorship] is destroying our climate system at an order of magnitude faster than anyone else. I'm well aware of the legacy that Iraq/Afghanistan have left in terms of international interventions into other countries; but if it is our common future on the balance, shouldn't we do something? Something more than just politely asking to stop?

Re: NASA finds super-emitters of methane

#46

And now what ? Anyone knows what actions will be taken based on this data ?

Everyone has always had the option to vote with their dollars. If we allow ourself to be eco-capital-realists for a moment, we have to conclude that living on a habitable planet is simply not that important for most people.

I think this is an extremely privileged perspective.

Re: NASA finds super-emitters of methane

#47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We need it at the worldwide level, which is especially difficult.

Not if you use force

it is strictly impossible to establish a one-world government through force, at least given our current technology.

If a country has the army of robots needed to make it happen, then you have two problems.

Re: NASA finds super-emitters of methane

#49

Stupid question: How much is this actually contributing to climate change? Any climate scientists who make active predictions about how much we don't know?

Methane is a very strong greenhouse gas. But the upside is that it doesn't stay in the atmosphere for long. The half life of it is something like 9 years.

Would it be ecologically responsible to set these leaks on fire?

Re: NASA finds super-emitters of methane

#50
post #41

> Together, the Turkmenistan sources release an estimated 111,000 pounds of methane gas per hour If this is happening all the time, then the number of global methane emissions due to human activity on this ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_emissions ) Wikipedia page can't be valid. Crazy how human negligence and greed might end humanity.

Maybe I'm misreading something, but I don't understand the discrepancy. According to the wiki article, human output is 363 megatons/year. 111,000 lb/hr = 55.5 tons/hr = 0.5 megatons/year. Still a lot though!
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