Methane is a much more powerful (some scientists say up to four times more)Ā greenhouseĀ gasĀ than carbon dioxide, as it is better at absorbingĀ infrared radiation.
Methane is the main component of natural gas, and is released into theĀ atmosphereĀ when oil and natural gas are extracted from the ground and then processed.
Livestock (mainly cattle) also produce a lot of methane gas because of the bacteria in their stomachs during digestion. There are similar bacteria found in landfill sites, as well as rice fields.
