A collaborative research project conducted by Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has provided insights into global fossil methane emissions, using innovative multi-isotopic atmospheric measurements.
The international study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, was led by Dr Ryo Fujita from the Imperial College London and the Japanese Meteorological Research Institute.
ANSTO says the study used advanced isotopic analysis, including radiocarbon and stable isotopes of carbon and hydrogen, to accurately distinguish between different methane emission sources.
This is the first time research has integrated multiple isotopic datasets to precisely quantify global methane emissions from fossil fuels, biogenic, geologic, and biomass burning sources across the historical timeframe from 1750 to 2015.
One key finding from the study was that global fossil methane emissions are about 130 teragrams per year for the period 2003-2012, which closely matches the Global Carbon Project estimates, a network of scientists and institutions investigating greenhouse gases.
ANSTO notes, to put this in perspective, a teragram is 1 trillion grams, equal to the mass of water in 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Principal Accelerator Scientist Andrew Smith says the study shows that combining multiple isotopic constraints reduces uncertainties in methane emission estimates.
“Such precise data are crucial for effective climate policy and mitigation strategies,” Smith says.
ANSTO adds these results highlight the need for continued international collaboration in tracking greenhouse gas emissions and the importance of ongoing research to support accurate climate policy.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), methane emissions from the energy sector remained near a record in 2023. The production and use of fossil fuels resulted in close to 120 million tonnes of methane emissions, a small rise compared with 2022.
Another 10 million tonnes of methane emissions came from bioenergy, mostly from the traditional use of biomass for activities such as cooking.
The IEA says methane is responsible for around 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution. The energy sector accounts for over a third of methane emissions from human activity and IEA estimates that it was responsible for nearly 130 million tonnes of methane emissions in 2023, a slight rise from the amount in 2022.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: ANSTO
