The rate of increase in atmospheric methane concentration has been accelerating since 2016, as shown by recent analyses of atmospheric records¹. This calls for renewed attention to this strong greenhouse gas as a very important player in the global climate. The increase in atmospheric methane may be further considered a diagnosis of ‘illness’ in the Earth system, indicating a positive (amplifying) feedback to climate change. The sources of methane causing this acceleration are not yet clear. However, it is well known that substantial global wetland emissions of methane can contribute to it, and the tropical region is being pointed out as a potential source of this methane^1,2. Writing in Nature Climate Change, Yuan et al.³ document a significant overarching increasing trend also in northern wetland emissions.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01938-y