Which Two Gases Contribute Most To Global Warming

The burning of fossil fuels over the past centuries have significantly increased the Earth’s atmospheric temperature. Of the various gases released into the air, two of the most insidious and far-reaching emitters in terms of global warming are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄). Whether from human activity or from sources in nature, both of these gases trap significantly more heat than other atmospheric gases and their effects will be felt for decades to come.
Any discussion of the gases that cause global warming must start with carbon dioxide, which is probably the most widely known gas of the two. It’s used in popular measures of air quality, such as the air quality index, and it features prominently in scientific discussions of the causes of climate change. Carbon dioxide is thought to have accounted for over 60% of the global warming that has occurred since 1950, as per data released by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Methane is another powerful emissions contributor. It is a shorter-lived gas than carbon dioxide, but is far more efficient at trapping heat in the atmosphere, trapping 84 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Sources of methane include animal husbandry, biodegradable waste, the production and transport of coal and oil, and gas and oil production. The EPA reports that global methane concentrations have more than doubled from pre-industrial levels.
The impacts of these two gases vary. Carbon dioxide has a longer atmospheric lifespan, meaning it can stay in the air for centuries, trapping heat and causing temperatures to rise all the while. Methane is shorter-lived than carbon dioxide, but is much more efficient at trapping heat. It breaks down more quickly than carbon dioxide, but when it is released into the atmosphere, it can still remain trapped for many years.
There are no silver bullets to solve emissions from both these gases. On the carbon dioxide mitigation side, reducing emissions from fossil fuel combustion and improving energy efficiency is key. For example, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are becoming increasingly cheaper and more efficient, while carbon capture technologies can capture and store emissions. For methane, increasing the efficiency of operations in the oil and gas industry, and adopting technologies such as flares to reduce methane venting and flaring, would all help to reduce emissions.
This issue is far from solved, and buildings need to be adapted and adapted again, to keep up with the ever-changing climate. For now, it is important to recognize the importance of carbon dioxide and methane, and their respective roles in global warming. To combat these gases, it is essential to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Putting in place meaningful policy, regulatory, and technological interventions can help keep global warming at manageable levels.
Moreover, it is essential that the public is educated on the impacts of global warming and solution to mitigate it. They should be made more aware of their own emissions and how they can make a difference by reducing the burning of fossil fuels and switching to cleaner sources of energy. It is up to the public to change the narrative, and to make a stand against the gases causing global warming.