Methane (CH4) is a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) and the second-biggest contributor to human-caused global warming after carbon dioxide (CO₂). Although it has a relatively short life cycle, lasting around a decade in the atmosphere, methane has a
80 times greater than CO₂ over a 20-year period. It is believed to account for roughly 30 percent of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, and now accounts for approximately 21 percent of
Atmospheric methane levels continue to rise
Global methane emissions increased by 1.8 percent in 2022 to reach a record high of 11.3 billion metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (GtCO₂), an increase of more than 30 percent when compared to 1990 levels. The average annual
concentration of methane in the atmosphere increased by roughly 12 percent during this same period to reach a high of 1,911.82 parts per billion. Methane concentrations have increased more rapidly in recent years, with 2022 observing the largest annual increase since records began in 1983.
The concerning and continuing rise in methane emissions has led to several new policies and measures being introduced to curb the growth of this potent GHG. One of the most well-known is the U.S./EU-led
Global Methane Pledge, whose participants have agreed to contribute to a collective effort to cut global anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30 percent by 2030, relative to 2020 levels. However, some of the
world’s biggest methane emitters, including China, India, and Russia, are yet to join the pledge. Nevertheless, China unveiled its long-awaited action plan to slash methane emissions ahead of the COP28 climate summit in November 2023.
Sources of methane emissions
Methane emissions come from both anthropogenic and natural sources, with wetlands the largest overall contributor. The
largest anthropogenic source of methane is the agriculture sector, which accounted for approximately 40 percent of total human-caused methane emissions in 2022. Livestock is the biggest contributor to agricultural emissions, mostly from enteric fermentation in cattle which releases methane as a by-product. Another important source of emissions is fuel exploitation, with large releases of
methane attributable to oil and gas operations as well as coal mining. Along with waste landfills, these sites are responsible for a high
number of methane leaks every year all over the world.
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