Abstract
METHANE concentrations in the atmosphere have increased from about 0.75 to 1.7 p.p.m.v. since pre-industrial times1,2. The current annual rate of increase of about 0.8% yr−1 (ref. 2) is due to increases in industrial and agricultural emissions. This increase in atmospheric methane concentrations not only influences the climate directly, but also indirectly through chemical reactions. Here we show that the climate effects of methane's atmospheric chemistry have previously been overestimated, notably by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)3, largely owing to neglect of the height dependence of certain atmospheric radiative processes. Using available estimates of fossil-fuel-related leaks of methane, our results show that switching from coal and oil to natural gas as an energy source would reduce climate warming. A significant fraction of methane emissions cannot, however, be accounted for by known sources; should leakages from gas production and distribution be underestimated for some countries, then it might be unwise to switch to using natural gas.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Pearman, G. I. et al. Nature 320, 248–250 (1986).
Steele, L. P. et al. J. atmos. Chem. 5, 125–171 (1987).
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report of Working Group I (eds Houghton, J. T. et al.) (WMO/UNEP, New York, 1990).
Ramanathan, V. J. atmos. Sci. 33, 1330–1346 (1976).
Donner, L. & Ramanathan, V. J. atmos. Sci. 37, 119–124 (1980).
Hansen, J. et al. J. geophys. Res. 93, 9341–9364 (1988).
Derwent, R. G. Trace Gases and their Relative Contribution to the Greenhouse Effect, Rep. AERF-R13716 (Harwell Laboratory, Oxfordshire, 1989).
Rodhe, H. Science 248, 1217–1219 (1990).
Lashof, D. A. & Ahuja, D. R. Nature 344, 529–531 (1990).
Vaghjiani, G. L. & Ravishankara, A. R. Nature 350, 406–409 (1991).
Valentin, K. M. thesis, Univ. of Mainz (1991).
Siegonthaler, U. J. geophys. Res. 88, 3599–3608 (1983).
Crutzen, P. J. Pure appl. Geophys. 106–8, 1385–1399 (1973).
Nicolet, M. Disc. Faraday Soc. 37, 7–27 (1964).
Brühl, C. & Crutzen, P. J. Clim. Dynam. 2, 173–203 (1988).
Neftel, A. et al. Nature 295, 220–223 (1982).
Raynaud, D. & Barnola, J. M. Nature 315, 309–311 (1985).
Keeling, C. D. et al. in Carbon Dioxide Review 1982 (ed. Clark, W. C.) 377–398 (Clarendon, Oxford, 1982).
Wang, W.-C. et al. J. atmos. Sci. 37, 545–552 (1980).
Dobson, G. M. B., Brewer, A. W. & Cwilong, B. M. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A185, 144–175 (1946).
Sze, N. D. Science 195, 673–675 (1977).
Lelieveld, J. & Crutzen, P. J. Nature 343, 227–233 (1990).
Isaksen, I. S. A. & Hov, O. Tellus B39, 271–285 (1987).
Prinn, R. et al. J. geophys. Res. (submitted).
Cicerone, R. J. & Oremland R. S. Global biogeochem. Cycles 2, 299–327 (1988).
Wahlen, M. et al. Science 245, 280–290 (1989).
Quay, P. D. et al. Global biogeochem. Cycles 2, 385–397 (1988).
Arthur D. Little (ADL) Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Production Industries, Rep. to Ruhrgas A. G. (Essen, 1989).
Okken, P. A. Energy Policy, 203–204 (March, 1990).
Ermittlung der Methan-Freisetzung durch Stoffverluste bei der Erdgasversorgung der BRD (Battelle, Frankfurt, 1989).
Lelieveld, J., Crutzen, P. J. & Brühl, C. Chemosphere (submitted).
Marland, G. & Rotty, R. M. Tellus B36, 232–261 (1984).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lelieveld, J., Crutzen, P. Indirect chemical effects of methane on climate warming. Nature 355, 339–342 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/355339a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/355339a0
This article is cited by
-
Asserting the climate benefits of the coal-to-gas shift across temporal and spatial scales
Nature Climate Change (2019)
-
Effect of methane emission increases in East Asia on atmospheric circulation and ozone
Advances in Atmospheric Sciences (2015)
-
Substrate and/or substrate-driven changes in the abundance of methanogenic archaea cause seasonal variation of methane production potential in species-specific freshwater wetlands
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2014)
-
A review on simulation models for exploration and exploitation of natural gas hydrate
Arabian Journal of Geosciences (2014)
-
CH4 uptake flux of Leymus chinensis steppe during rapid growth season in Inner Mongolia, China
Science China Earth Sciences (2010)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.