by Kelly MACNAMARA

https://phys.org/news/2022-12-surge-methane-pandemic-lockdown.html

A mysterious surge in planet-heating atmospheric methane in 2020 despite COVID lockdowns that reduced many human-caused sources can be explained by a greater release from nature and, surprisingly, reduced air pollution, scientists said Wednesday.

Methane stays in the atmosphere only a fraction as long ascarbon dioxide, but is far more efficient at trapping heat and is responsible for roughly 30 percent of the global rise in temperatures to date.

Released from the oil and gas, waste and agriculture sectors, as well as throughbiological processesin wetlands, the powerful greenhouse gas is a key target for efforts to curb global warming.

But a new study published in the journalNaturesuggests that cuttingmethanemay be even more of a challenge—and more urgent—than is currently understood.