Methane Emissions by Sector
Data, Graphs, and Maps
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Our World in Data
What it is
- This interactive graph and chart show the sources and quantities of methane emissions.
- Students can view global data or view the data by country.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This resource clearly shows students where most methane emissions come from and how they have changed over time.
- Students can click on the graph to view the data for a specific year.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should know how to read a line graph and be familiar with the term fugitive emissions.
- Note that the methane emissions are calculated on a 100-year CO2 equivalency scale, so the 20-year values would be significantly higher due to methane's short (10-12 years) residence time in the atmosphere.
Differentiation
- Cross-curricular connections could be made with social studies and chemistry classes.
- Students may want to explore the topic further with this media literacy activity on natural gas, this video on reducing meat consumption to fight climate change, this report on plant rich diets, and this data explorer on the environmental impacts of food.
From the scientist review
The resource used the GWP method to normalize these F gases units into a single unit expressed in CO2e calculated on a 100-year time scale. This method is appropriate as it considered the residence time of CH4 - CO2 emissions. The resource is recommended for teaching.
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