The huge leaks of the potent greenhouse gas will doom climate targets, experts say, but stemming them would rapidly reduce global heating

A total of 1,256 methane super-emitter events occurred between January 2019 and June 2023, according to the new data. Pakistan, India and Bangladesh lead the list of nations with the most large leaks, followed by Argentina, Uzbekistan and Spain.

Decomposing waste is responsible for about 20% of human-caused methane emissions.

Prof Euan Nisbet, a methane expert at Royal Holloway University of London, said: “Big landfills make a great deal of methane but it doesn’t cost much to bulldoze soil over a stinking, burning landfill. It’s not rocket science.”

  • livus
    6•11 months ago

    “I have watched it grow from a small rubbish heap into that huge mountain over the past 20 years,” he said. “During the summer it catches fire every week because of all the gas and then it becomes even more disgusting here. It’s impossible to breathe and everyone gets sick. It feels so dangerous to live here but I have no choice – this is where my home and livelihood is.”

    Yikes.

    Wealthy countries shoulf stop exporting waste to LICs as well though.

    • Riddick3001OPEnglish
      4•11 months ago

      Wealthy countries shoulf stop exporting waste to LICs as well though.

      I get what you are saying. But for reference, developed countries also import waste from other counties. All countries are payed for the import and for waste process. What the countries really do with it is an entire other matter, but it seems many countries simply dump it. Also the proposal to turn it in a methane producing plant, or simply fill it up with soil would be smart choice. Some countries don’t do either.

      Here some (older) garbage import data

      • livus
        1•11 months ago

        @HowRu68

        But for reference, developed countries also import waste from other counties.

        Sure, but it seems to me that it’s mostly LICs that are less likely to dispose of it adequately. They are also more prone to be endpoints of fake recycling.