-Shivaan Darda
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: While carbon dioxide is popular, another killer for the environment is methane. It is 28–36 times more efficient than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Landfills, oil and gas production, and agriculture are the main sources of methane emissions.
Among many innovative ideas to fight climate change, there is one right outside our atmosphere. Utilising satellites to track and lower methane emissions is a unique and effective solution. In this article, we'll look at the urgency of the situation and the effectiveness of these space gadgets.
● The satellite approach
An important development in the fight against climate change is the use of satellites to track methane emissions. This is how it goes:
- Monitoring and detection: Methane-detecting satellites with cutting-edge sensors can scan a wide range of places, including distant areas, commercial buildings, and agricultural lands. Real-time methane leak or emission detection is possible with them.
- Data processing and analysis: To precisely identify the sources of methane emissions, the data acquired by these satellites is processed and analysed. This makes it possible to minimise emissions with focused treatments.
● Success rates for satellites
- Accuracy: Methane-detecting satellites have a high degree of accuracy in locating methane sources. For instance, the Sentinel-5P satellite from the European Space Agency can spot methane emissions in the atmosphere as little as 1.8 parts per billion.
- Emission reduction: Some locations have already experienced large reductions in emissions as a result of the use of satellites for methane monitoring. In the Permian Basin in the United States, for instance, research by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and collaborators revealed that using satellites resulted in a 50% reduction in observed methane emissions in just three years.
We have a better chance of reducing this potent greenhouse gas and moving toward a more sustainable future if we precisely identify and treat methane sources. Unlike other orbiting objects, satellites are effective tools in battling against the growing concerns about climate change.