Chart of the week: How methane is warming our planet 80 times faster than CO2

Agriculture is the primary source of methane, a gas that poses a critical short-term threat to the climate

Carbon dioxide has long dominated discussions around climate change, and this year's climate conference, Cop29, will be no different. But there is another global warming accelerator that gets less airtime: methane. This exceptionally powerful greenhouse gas can trap about 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, and levels in the atmosphere today are nearly three times higher than in the pre-industrial era.

Despite its potency, methane's atmospheric lifespan is relatively short, usually lasting about 12 years, compared to carbon dioxide, which can linger for centuries. But during that time, methane's rapid warming effect intensifies global warming, making it a critical climate risk in the short term. During Cop28 held in Dubai last year, the UAE identified methane as a significant issue and drafted a new pledge to tighten regulations and reduce global methane emissions.

Today's primary source of methane is agriculture, particularly livestock and cattle. As cows digest grass, they release methane by belching. According to Greenpeace, a single cow can burp about every 90 seconds. Methane itself is invisible, colourless and odourless, but its impact on the climate is evident. To understand its impact, some scientists are now looking back at our prehistoric ancestors to understand how dinosaur gas may have also contributed to global warming in the hot and wet Mesozoic era.

When we examine the biggest methane producers, agriculture is the biggest contributor to global emissions from this type of gas. Rice farming is a close second. Globally, rice paddies produce about 50 million to 100 million tonnes of methane as the plants decay in waterlogged conditions.

Methane per capita emissions by sector

Third on the list of culprits are "fugitive emissions" – unintended leaks during fossil fuel extraction. Recent data collected by MethaneSAT shows that oil and gas producers in the US emit methane at over four times the estimates the Environmental Production Agency rated.

However, the rise in meat and dairy consumption globally has primarily fuelled methane emissions. Climate activists have called for reducing industrial meat and dairy production to reduce emissions and climate impact. Reducing methane could slow global warming much faster than lowering carbon dioxide in the short term, buying us valuable time in the fight against climate change.