Methane emission by sectors: A comprehensive review of emission sources and mitigation methods

The global threat caused by increasing surface temperature has led to negative climate changes. One of the greenhouse gases responsible for this global warming is methane. It is emitted naturally and anthropogenically from different sources and its concentration in the atmosphere has assumed alarming proportions. Its devastating consequences on climate change and atmospheric chemistry have made it to be a focus of intense scrutiny and study. The anthropogenic sources of its emissions are generally grouped under three sectors of agriculture, energy and waste. The past emission trends of methane from these sectors are investigated through their sources while mitigation and abatement strategies are suggested. It is observed that the agricultural sector emits the highest amount of methane, followed by the energy and waste sectors, respectively. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.