Is methane the 'climate culprit'? Fixing the 'Broken Record' while unmasking the dangers of using imprecise, long-term GWP for methane to address the climate emergency

Abstract

Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with a short atmospheric half-life (~8.4 years) and a high short-term impact on global warming, significantly higher than CO2 (Kleinberg, 2020; Balcombe et al., 2018). Traditional metrics such as the 100-year Global Warming Potential (GWP100) obscure methane's short-term, negative climatic effects, potentially leading to inadequate policy responses (Kleinberg, 2020). This letter examines the limitations of GWP100 in capturing methane's true climate impact, explores alternative metrics, and discusses the implications of underreporting methane emissions. We highlight the necessity of adopting a more immediate perspective on methane to accelerate climate emergency action, while noting the adverse effects of the rapid growth rate of methane emissions on reduction efforts. Additionally, we hope that in the immediate future, during COP29, policymakers will adopt actions that give appropriate attention to methane's short-term warming potential to dramatically reduce emissions and address the immediate climate crisis.