Emissions of methane--which have 23 times the effect on the earth's climate as equivalent amounts of carbon dioxide--can be substantially reduced, according to a new study by Nobel laureate F. Sherwood Roland. In a telephone interview with the Toronto Star, Dr. Roland said that "we will gain some ground on global warming if methane doesn't contribute as much to the problem in the future as it has in the past," a situation that could begin with stopping methane leaks from natural gas pipelines and pumps. Canada's methane emissions currently have the same greenhouse effect as half the country's cars.
Source: Peter Calamari, Methane Threat Can be Reduced, Study Finds. The Toronto Star, November 22.