I-CO2 igqame kakhulu kune-methane uma kukhulunywa ngamagesi abamba ukushisa asheshisa ukufudumala kwembulunga yonke eplanethini enguMhlaba. Ikakhulukazi, lesi sesibili sigxumela ezihlokweni lapho sikhuluma ngokukhipha umoya ophuma emapulazini ezinkomo. Kodwa-ke, amazwi amaningi ochwepheshe athi ukubaluleka kwale gesi lapho kutshalwa izixazululo zokunqanda ukuguquka kwesimo sezulu.
Umbiko wakamuva (ngoMhlolanja wezi-2022) ovela ku-Ejensi Yezamandla Yamazwe Ngamazwe uqinisekisa ukuthi i-methane inesibopho sokukhuphuka kwamazinga okushisa ngamaphesenti angama-30 kusukela ekuqaleni kweNguquko Yezimboni.
Kodwa iqiniso liwukuthi isisindo salo kusethi yamagesi angcolisayo singase sibe sikhulu kunalokho okwakucatshangwa ngaphambili.
Lokhu kukhululwe ngomunye umbiko wakamuva osebenzise izithombe zesathelayithi ukukala ukukhishwa kwe-methane yimboni kawoyela negesi.
Isiphetho esifinyelelwe ukuthi sikhulu kunalokho okuqashelwayo. Izikhiqizo ezinkulu ze-methane ezingabikwanga zenza ngaphansi kwe-10% yokukhishwa okusemthethweni kwe-methane kawoyela negesi emazweni ayisithupha aphezulu akhiqizayo.
Uma ihunyushwa ezinombolweni, ithani ngalinye le-methane elingafakiwe emibikweni esemthethweni lilingana namadola angu-4,400 womthelela esimweni sezulu kanye ne-ozone engaphezulu, okuholela empilweni yabantu, ukukhiqiza umsebenzi noma isivuno sezitshalo, phakathi kokunye.
Iyini futhi ikhiqizwa kuphi?
I-Methane igesi engenambala nengenaphunga ekhiqizwa emvelweni ngokubola kwezitshalo. Le nqubo yemvelo ingasetshenziselwa ukukhiqiza i-biogas futhi ingakha kufikela ku-97% wegesi yemvelo. Ezimayini zamalahle ibizwa nge-firedamp futhi iyingozi kakhulu ngenxa yokuvutha kwayo kalula.
Phakathi kwezindaba ezikhishwayo zemvelaphi yemvelo, ukubola kwemfucuza ephilayo (30%), amaxhaphozi (23%), ukukhishwa kwezibaseli ezimbiwa phansi (20%) kanye nezinqubo zokugaya izilwane, ikakhulukazi imfuyo (17%).
Kungani kubaluleke ngaphezu kwalokho ocabanga?
I-Methane ithathwa njengegesi yesibili ebamba ukushisa enomthelela omkhulu kakhulu. Kodwa-ke, ngokomlando akuzange kunikezwe ukubaluleka okukhulu njenge-CO2.
Omunye nomunye unokuziphatha okuhlukile. I-Carbon dioxide iyona ehlala isikhathi eside futhi engcolisa abantu abaningi. Okunye okusele, okuhlanganisa ne-methane, kuhlala isikhashana futhi kunyamalala ngokushesha emkhathini. Nokho, ososayensi baye babonisa ukuthi iphumelela kakhulu ekubambeni imisebe yelanga futhi ibe negalelo elinamandla ekufudumaleni. Kubalwe ukuthi inamandla aphindwe izikhathi ezingama-36. Ngakho-ke ukubaluleka kokulwa nayo cishe ezingeni elifanayo ne-CO2 edumile.
Ukwenza lokhu, i-European Union ine-Methane Strategy yango-2020. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ilungiselela umthetho omusha ogxile kule gesi futhi ehlose ukunciphisa ngayo ukukhishwa kwayo.
Umkhakha wezamandla (ohlanganisa uwoyela, igesi yemvelo, amalahle kanye ne-bioenergy) usuphinde waba phambili ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi wokukhipha i-methane.
Ngokohlaziyo lwe-International Energy Agency, cishe u-40% we-methane ekhishwayo ivela emandleni. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, le nhlangano ikholelwa ukuthi ukuqaphela le nkinga kuyithuba elihle lokunciphisa ukufudumala kwembulunga yonke "ngoba izindlela zokunciphisa ziyaziwa futhi, ngokuvamile, zinenzuzo," uvikela umbiko.
Imfuyo, inomsila we-emissions
Kungani kuvamile ukusola izinkomo ngokuthi yizona ezibangela ububi be-methane? Ngakho-ke, ezolimo akusona isizathu esiyinhloko, uma kunzima kakhulu ukunciphisa ukukhishwa kwe-methane ekhishwayo futhi umphumela ohlangene womkhakha wezolimo uthathwa njengobaluleke kakhulu. Ngamanye amazwi, noma yiluphi ushintsho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi luncane kangakanani, kulo mkhakha lungaba nomthelela omkhulu.
Ngokubhekana nezinyathelo ezidingekayo, ku-COP26 amazwe azozama ukunciphisa ukukhishwa kwe-methane ngama-30% phakathi kwamanje no-2030, okwenziwa ku-Global Methane Initiative.
E-Europe, uhlaka oluzokwazi ukuhambisana nalesi sivumelwano luzogxila ekunciphiseni ukukhishwa kwe-methane emkhakheni wamandla, ezolimo kanye nemfucuza, njengoba lezi zindawo zimele kuzo zonke izimo ezikhishwa yi-methane eZwenikazi Elidala.
Ukuhlelwa kuwukwethula izinyathelo ezithile emkhakheni wezomnotho ngamunye futhi kusetshenziswe ithuba lokusebenzisana phakathi kwemikhakha (njengesibonelo, ngokukhiqizwa kwe-biomethane).
