COVID-19 Cleared Skies but Supercharged Methane Emissions: Reduced Pollution Hindered Methane Destruction

COVID-19 Cleared Skies but Supercharged Methane Emissions: Reduced Pollution Hindered Methane Destruction

technology_harmony English

COVID-19 Cleared Skies but Supercharged Methane Emissions: Reduced Pollution Hindered Methane Destruction

An investigation reported by Ars Technica Science on February 7, 2026, has revealed that while global lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic reduction in air pollution, methane (CH4) emissions unexpectedly surged.

The primary driver behind this phenomenon is attributed to a decrease in hydroxyl radicals (OH) in the atmosphere. These OH radicals are crucial for breaking down methane, a potent greenhouse gas. With reduced levels of air pollutants (specifically NOx and VOCs), the generation of OH radicals was suppressed. Consequently, methane that would have otherwise been degraded lingered in the atmosphere for longer periods, amplifying its greenhouse effect.

This finding suggests that in climate change mitigation efforts, reducing certain pollutants may lead to unintended consequences, offering a new perspective for future emission regulations and atmospheric chemistry research.

This article was generated by Gemini AI as part of the automated news generation system.

日本語で読む