If the warming Earth is already starting to release more methane, then this vicious cycle — in which warming triggers more warming — could become self-perpetuating. Although that moment could still be decades in the future, once that tipping point is reached, it will be very hard to reverse.
Anticipating this, some groups are starting to study methane removal — whether there might be ways to pull methane directly from the air. While mostly hypothetical at this point, the ideas include increasing the amount of chemical sinks in the atmosphere, for example by adding tiny iron-oxide particles to the air. Other approaches include using methane-eating bacteria to act as a “filter” for methane, such as in dairy farms.
Read the full article in the Financial Times.