甲烷：一種蘊藏機會的強效溫室氣體

雖然二氧化碳是最重要的人為溫室氣體，但甲烷 (CH4) 的威力要大得多。這種壽命相對較短的氣體在二十年的時間內捕獲的熱量是二氧化碳的 80 倍。

Greenhouse gases are essential for making our planet habitable, but high concentrations of these heat-trapping gases are now raising the earth's surface temperature significantly, leading to global warming and climate change.

溫室氣體對於使我們的星球適合居住至關重要，但高濃度的這些吸熱氣體現在正在顯著提高地球表面溫度，導致全球暖化和氣候變遷。

While carbon dioxide is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, methane (CH4) is far more potent. This comparatively short-lived gas traps 80 times more heat than CO2 over a period of two decades. According to the UN Environment Programme, since pre-industrial times, methane has accounted for about 30% of climate change.

雖然二氧化碳是最重要的人為溫室氣體，但甲烷 (CH4) 的威力要大得多。這種壽命相對較短的氣體在二十年的時間內捕獲的熱量是二氧化碳的 80 倍。據聯合國環境規劃署稱，自前工業化時代以來，甲烷約佔氣候變遷的30%。

This second most abundant greenhouse gas is the main component of natural gas and biogas.

這種第二豐富的溫室氣體是天然氣和沼氣的主要成分。

Methane is colorless, odorless, and highly flammable. Natural methane is found below the ground, with wetlands being its largest source. It is also found under the sea bed, beneath the Antarctic ice, and in oceans. This gas is also produced by volcanoes as well as the decay of plant and animal matter.

甲烷無色、無味且高度易燃。天然甲烷存在於地下，濕地是其最大來源。它也存在於海床下、南極冰層下和海洋。這種氣體也是由火山以及植物和動物的腐爛所產生的。

An important contributor to methane's release into the environment is human activities which include landfills, agricultural activities, livestock, manure, coal mining, and oil and gas production.

人類活動是甲烷釋放到環境中的重要因素，包括垃圾掩埋場、農業活動、牲畜、糞便、煤炭開採以及石油和天然氣生產。

When emitted into the air, methane reacts in hazardous ways. Not only it releases carbon dioxide emissions through oxidation but also contributes to the forming of the ozone. This way, it decreases air quantity, leading to premature human deaths, reduced crop yields, and causing health issues in animals.

當甲烷排放到空氣中時，會發生危險的反應。它不僅透過氧化釋放二氧化碳排放，而且有助於臭氧的形成。這樣，空氣量就會減少，導致人類過早死亡、農作物產量下降，並導致動物健康問題。

In humans, this potent greenhouse gas can also cause issues like asthma, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of stroke. Methane gas poisoning, meanwhile, can lead to asphyxiation.

對人類來說，這種強效溫室氣體還會導致氣喘、心血管疾病和中風風險增加等問題。同時，甲烷氣體中毒會導致窒息。

High levels of methane can also cause issues like memory loss, slurred speech, nausea, flushing, headache, vomiting, mood changes, and vision problems. Meanwhile, contact with liquefied methane released under pressure may cause frostbite.

高濃度的甲烷也會導致記憶喪失、言語不清、噁心、潮紅、頭痛、嘔吐、情緒變化和視力問題等問題。同時，接觸壓力下釋放的液化甲烷可能會導致凍傷。

Given the harmful effect of methane, there has been a greater focus on better quantifying and drastically reducing methane pollution to prevent the worst climate impacts.

鑑於甲烷的有害影響，人們更加關注更好地量化和大幅減少甲烷污染，以防止最嚴重的氣候影響。

Methane Emissions from Manure Far Greater

糞便中的甲烷排放量大得多

Farm livestock are a prominent source of methane emissions from agriculture. As per the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimation, it accounts for 12% to 14.5% of all human-induced GHG emissions.

農場牲畜是農業甲烷排放的一個重要來源。根據目前政府間氣候變遷專門委員會 (IPCC) 的估計，它佔所有人類造成的溫室氣體排放的 12% 至 14.5%。

The national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions meanwhile report that emissions coming directly from the digestive systems of animals (enteric fermentation) are three to nine times greater than those from manure management, including the storing and spreading of slurry and manure. However, the emissions from these two cases could be much closer to 50:50.

同時，國家溫室氣體排放清單報告稱，直接來自動物消化系統（腸道發酵）的排放量是糞便管理（包括淤漿和糞便的儲存和撒播）排放量的三到九倍。然而，這兩種情況的排放量可能更接近 50:50。

According to new research, though, the actual methane emissions from slurry stores on dairy farms could be as much as five times more than what the official statistics suggest.

然而，根據新的研究，乳牛場淤漿庫的實際甲烷排放量可能比官方統計數據高出五倍之多。

Conducted by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and a not-for-profit association, the International Fugitive Emissions Abatement Association (IFEAA), the study is based on calculations from two dairy farms in England.

這項研究由東安格利亞大學 (UEA) 和非營利組織國際逃逸排放減排協會 (IFEAA) 進行，基於英格蘭兩個乳牛場的計算。

The research suggests the ‘Tier 2' calculations currently being used by countries to report their emissions annually to the IPCC may not be robust, hence the underestimation.

研究表明，各國目前用於每年向 IPCC 報告其排放量的「二級」計算可能並不可靠，因此被低估。

The measurements of emissions from slurry lagoons were analyzed by researchers during 2022-23. To capture methane, airtight covers were used to enclose the slurry lagoons, which showed that they generate far more CH4 than previously suggested.

研究人員在 2022-23 年間對淤漿潟湖的排放測量結果進行了分析。為了捕獲甲烷，使用了密封蓋來封閉泥漿潟湖，這表明它們產生的甲烷遠遠多於先前的建議。

As per the findings, the actual emission was 145 kg per cow per year on one farm and 198 kg per cow per year on the other farm. This is 3.8 – 5.2 times higher than the existing official figure of 38 kg per cow reported in the UK's National Inventory.

根據調查結果，一個農場每頭牛每年的實際排放量為 145 公斤，另一個農場每頭牛每年實際排放量為 198 公斤。這比英國國家庫存中報​​告的現有官方數據（每頭牛 38 公斤）高出 3.8 至 5.2 倍。

While the standard international methodology seems to underestimate slurry storage methane emissions, the research says that today, we have the technology that can help “turn this problem into a business opportunity.” Methane can actually be easily captured and then used as a fossil fuel alternative, which also creates “an additional income stream for farms.”

雖然標準的國際方法似乎低估了泥漿儲存甲烷排放量，但研究表明，今天，我們擁有可以幫助「將這個問題轉化為商機」的技術。甲烷實際上可以輕鬆捕獲，然後用作化石燃料替代品，這也為「農場創造了額外的收入來源」。

Highlighting the huge potential for turning that methane into a renewable energy source, Professor Neil Ward of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at UEA noted that using methane as a fuel can help farmers reduce their energy bills and become energy independent.

東英吉利大學廷德爾氣候變遷研究中心的尼爾沃德教授強調了將甲烷轉化為再生能源的巨大潛力，他指出，使用甲烷作為燃料可以幫助農民減少能源費用並實現能源獨立。

Capturing and turning emitted methane into biogas could save an average-sized dairy farm about £52,500 in fuel costs. In total, this cost saving could be over £400 mln for the dairy sector.

捕獲排放的甲烷並將其轉化為沼氣可以為平均規模的乳牛場節省約 52,500 英鎊的燃料成本。總的來說，乳製品行業的成本節省可能超過 4 億英鎊。

Existing technology can capture the gas, and using it across the EU's dairy herds could cut emissions by an estimated 5.8% of the budget for limiting global warming to 1.5°C, according to research.

研究表明，現有技術可以捕獲這種氣體，並在整個歐盟乳牛場中使用它，可以將全球暖化限制在 1.5°C 的預算中減少約 5.8% 的排放量。

The significant underestimation of manure management emissions means that not only are the estimates inaccurate, but priorities regarding reducing options may also be distorted.

糞便管理排放量的嚴重低估意味著不僅估算不準確，而且有關減少選擇的優先事項也可能被扭曲。

“This research therefore represents an urgent call for action and further work to better understand methane emissions from manure management.”

“因此，這項研究迫切呼籲採取行動並進一步開展工作，以更好地了解糞便管理中的甲烷排放。”

– Prof Ward

——沃德教授

So,

所以，