Good moos: methane from cows matters less in climate change, says Irish researcher

Posted on by

Exposing the Big Game's avatarThe Extinction Chronicles

Aoife O’Brien
The Times
Methane from cattle should be counted on a different basis from other emissions, according an Irish academic
Methane from cattle should be counted on a different basis from other emissions, according an Irish academic
ALAMY

Scientists have overestimated the effect of agriculture methane emissions on climate change, an Irish academic believes.

Shane McDonagh, an environmental researcher at UCC, said Ireland has been measuring the impact of farming on carbon emissions in the wrong way leading to an overestimation of the negative impacts on our carbon footprint.

Agriculture in Ireland accounts for 33 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions compared with 10 per cent in the EU as a whole. Most farm-related emissions are from methane gas, which has a global warming potential 84 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2) over 20 years and 28 times greater over 100 years. Methane gas breaks down into CO2 over time, and loses global warming potential.

CO2, while less potent than methane,

View original post

1 thought on “Good moos: methane from cows matters less in climate change, says Irish researcher”

Leave a comment