The four leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea are also of concern because of their impact on the environment and climate. After all, the escaping natural gas mainly consists of the particularly climate-damaging greenhouse gas methane, which has about 28 times more impact on global warming than the climate killer carbon dioxide.
According to environmental organization Greenpeace, greenhouse gas emissions from the four leaks are equivalent to Denmark’s average emissions over eight months. According to experts, the effect on global warming is relatively small in a global comparison, but has negative effects on the ozone layer.
“But it’s not like it’s a local pollutant that would only be really dangerous for residents of Sweden and Norway,” said Bill Collins, a professor of atmospheric chemistry and modeling of Earth systems at the University of Reading in England. The gas will dilute it, but it will still affect ozone levels for everyone around the world, albeit in a small amount, the expert said.
Methane is harmful to the ozone layer
Estimates of how much gas, containing up to 99 percent of the greenhouse gas methane, escapes from the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines vary widely. They range up to more than 300,000 tons, which corresponds to about 15 percent of Germany’s annual methane emissions. Methane damages the ozone layer in the stratosphere, which protects humans, animals and plants from high-energy radiation from space.
Mainly responsible for global warming
Colorless and odorless methane (CH4) is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases in the world and is largely responsible for global warming. The gas, which consists of one carbon and four hydrogen atoms, is released in agriculture during the digestion process of livestock, in the natural gas, oil and coal industries or in landfills.
Emissions to be reduced by 30 percent
That is why more than 80 heads of state joined an EU-US initiative to reduce methane emissions at the UN World Climate Conference in Glasgow last year. By 2030, the actual emissions of the climate-damaging gas must have fallen by at least 30 percent compared to 2020. This should reduce global warming by at least 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2050.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
