Escaping Methane Highlights Need to Mitigate GHG

There was an interesting article posted on the New Scientist’s web site yesterday. Scientists studying the Arctic Ocean near Norway have found over 250 plumes of methane gas (a very serious greenhouse gas) bubbling up towards the surface. They suspect that the methane is from methane hydrate in water ice below the seabed, which warmer ocean temperatures are breaking down and releasing.

Although the scientists haven’t yet seen evidence that these plumes are releasing methane into the atmosphere, they are concerned that it may happen. According to the article,

The methane being released from hydrate in the 600-square-kilometre area studied probably adds up to 27 kilotonnes a year, which suggests that the entire hydrate deposit around Svalbard could be releasing 20 megatonnes a year. If methane began escaping at similar rates throughout the Arctic, it would dramatically increase methane levels in the atmosphere.

With scientists discovering more possible contributors to climate change, it is crucial for us to mitigate our greenhouse gas output wherever possible.

Protecting the Far North is one of our best opportunities to do exactly that. We can ensure that the large amounts of carbon dioxide (another harmful greenhouse gas) that are stored in the world’s boreal forest will remain stored rather than being released into the atmosphere. This is why Canada’s Far North Act is so important. This is why Premier McGuinty and the Standing Committee on the Far North Act need to make Bill 191 as strong as possible.