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A sharp increase in methane gas in the atmosphere over the past 16 years could indicate that Earth's climate might change quickly, according to scientists.
Large amounts of methane coming from tropical wetlands could cause warming similar to what happened when ice ages ended, replacing icy areas with warm savannas, a study suggests. In 2006, scientists noticed a strange rise in methane emissions, but didn't know where it came from or if it was a new trend.
A "termination" event is a major change in Earth's climate system. It's what led the world from ice ages to the current warmer period, as explained by Euan Nisbet, a professor of Earth sciences.
Ice age endings happen in three phases. The first phase involves a gradual increase in methane and CO2, leading to warming over thousands of years. Then, a burst of methane causes a quick temperature rise, followed by a more stable phase.
This quick phase, which takes a few decades, might be due to methane from tropical wetlands.
Methane is a strong greenhouse gas released by human activities like burning fossil fuels, and natural processes like decay in wetlands. In the late 2000s, methane started increasing again, even though human activity didn't change much. By 2020, it was increasing faster than ever.
This odd increase is linked to tropical wetlands, especially in Africa, where climate change is causing them to grow larger and support more plants. This leads to more decay and methane release.
In a study, scientists compared current methane trends to past ice age terminations. While it's not clear yet, this could mean big climate changes. In the past, ice-covered areas became warm grasslands due to such changes.
Even if these changes are uncertain, dealing with methane emissions is important. Plugging gas leaks and reducing emissions from manure, waste, and crops can help a lot.
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