Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
When lockdowns slowed traffic, flights and industry, many air pollutants dropped. But methane did the opposite. Between 2020 and 2022, methane concentrations rose at the fastest rate ever recorded before slowing again in 2023.
New research using satellite data shows the atmosphere briefly became less efficient at removing methane. Levels of hydroxyl radicals — the chemicals that normally break it down — declined, while wetter-than-average conditions boosted emissions from wetlands.
Were you surprised that methane rose during lockdowns?
📹 European Space Agency (ESA)
#ESA #Climate #Methane
When lockdowns slowed traffic, flights and industry, many air pollutants dropped. But methane did the opposite. Between 2020 and 2022, methane concentrations rose at the fastest rate ever recorded before slowing again in 2023.
New research using satellite data shows the atmosphere briefly became less efficient at removing methane. Levels of hydroxyl radicals — the chemicals that normally break it down — declined, while wetter-than-average conditions boosted emissions from wetlands.
Were you surprised that methane rose during lockdowns?
📹 European Space Agency (ESA)
#ESA #Climate #Methane
