this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2024
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The thing about methane is that it breaks down within a few years, so the impact is largely about rate of release, unlike CO2 where concentration remains elevated pretty much forever in human terms.
This means that if we stop extraction of gas, it ends up having only a modest impact on how hot it is after that
it does break down... into CO2 and water vapor (also a very powerful GHG).
All levers need to be pulled, even the methane one, as they have "eq" forcing effects which are accelerating warming, which risks accelerating more tipping points. This isn't a situation where we can pick and choose what not to do, and ending methane emissions from fossil fuels and animal farming sector is a low hanging fruit.
My understanding is different https://theconversation.com/climate-explained-methane-is-short-lived-in-the-atmosphere-but-leaves-long-term-damage-145040
Also, we cant afford any of it. As soon as we end up in a dustbowl situation a world war will likely be the result.
Once nations are in wartime survival mode, carbon resuction will be out the window and I sincerely think we'll turn the earth into an uninhabitable hellscape where everyone dies.
Everyone. It may take a while for the last people to go, but I do mean everyone. People will construct elaborate bunker systems and try to make self contained farming centers, but the reality is that stuff is way harder than it looks and all it takes is one disease, one fire or power disaster, or one psycho to destroy the crops, whoch is likely after a hundred or so years and woop, everyone dies.