Abstract
The unprecedented population and anthropogenic activity rise have challenged the future look up for shifts in global temperature and climate patterns. Anthropogenic activities such as land fillings, building dams, wetlands converting to lands, combustion of biomass, deforestation, mining, and the gas and coal industries have directly or indirectly increased catastrophic methane (CH4) emissions at an alarming rate. Methane is 25 times more potent trapping heat when compared to carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. A rise in atmospheric methane, on a 20-year time scale, has an impact of 80 times greater than that of CO2. With increased population growth, waste generation is rising and is predicted to reach 6 Mt by 2025. CH4 emitted from landfills is a significant source that accounts for 40% of overall global methane emissions. Various mitigation and emissions reduction strategies could significantly reduce the global CH4 burden at a cost comparable to the parallel and necessary CO2 reduction measures, reversing the CH4 burden to pathways that achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. CH4 mitigation directly benefits climate change, has collateral impacts on the economy, human health, and agriculture, and considerably supports CO2 mitigation. Utilizing the CO2 from the environment, methanogens produce methane and lower their carbon footprint. NGOs and the general public should act on time to overcome atmospheric methane emissions by utilizing the raw source for producing carbon–neutral fuel. However, more research potential is required for green energy production and to consider investigating the untapped potential of methanogens for dependable energy generation.
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Data availability
The data used in this study were represented in the supplementary file.
Abbreviations
- ATPs:
-
Adenosine triphosphate synthesis
- BM:
-
Commercial extraction of coalbed CH4
- CH4 :
-
Methane
- CO2 :
-
Carbon dioxide
- COP:
-
Conference of Parties
- DIET:
-
Direct interactive electron transfer
- GHG:
-
Greenhouse gases
- GHGE:
-
Greenhouse gas emissions
- Gt:
-
Gigatonnes
- IEA:
-
International Energy Agency
- LDAR:
-
Leak detection and repair programs
- MtC:
-
Metric tonnes
- N2O:
-
Nitrous oxide
- NASA:
-
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- OGI:
-
Optical gas imaging
- ppb:
-
Parts per billion
- Tg:
-
Teragram
- Mt:
-
Million tonnes
- UNFCCC:
-
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
- WDCGG:
-
World Data Centre for Green House Gases
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Funding
Prathaban M is thankful to the Dr. D.S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship, University Grants Commission (Ref. No.: F.4–2/2006 (BSR)/BL/20–21/0109), Govt. of India for the project grant. Sobanaa M is thankful to the Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Single Girl Child Fellowship (SJSGC), University Grants Commission (Ref.no: 202223-UGCES-22-OB-PUD-F-SJSGC-4671), Govt. of India, for the grant. Prathiviraj R is thankful to DST-Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi, India, under the NPDF scheme (Sanction No.: PDF/2019/002762/Dated: 23/12/2019), India.
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SM and PR performed data analysis, conceptualization and a literature survey and prepared the draft manuscript. SJ and PM provided supervision, conceptualization, and approval for the final manuscript.
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Sobanaa, M., Prathiviraj, R., Selvin, J. et al. A comprehensive review on methane’s dual role: effects in climate change and potential as a carbon–neutral energy source. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 10379–10394 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30601-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30601-w