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id=\"rr_wrapper23957\" class=\"rr_wrapper\" postid=\"23957\"><\/div>\r\n\t<div id=\"rr_content23957\"> \n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Carbon dioxide (CO\u2082) shows the strongest overall correlation with global warming<\/strong>&nbsp;among greenhouse gases, primarily because it accounts for the largest share of human-caused warming and accumulates in the atmosphere for centuries to millennia. While methane is more potent per molecule in the short term and water vapor is quantitatively the most abundant greenhouse gas, CO\u2082 remains the primary driver of anthropogenic (caused or produced by humans) climate change due to its dominant contribution to radiative forcing and extremely long atmospheric lifetime.climate+1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23970\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7305-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 13 Pro Max&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1756818854&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.013513513513514&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7305.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23970\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7305-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">The Dominant Role of Carbon Dioxide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Carbon dioxide is responsible for approximately&nbsp;<strong>64 percent of the total warming influence<\/strong>&nbsp;from human-produced greenhouse gases as of 2022. Since 1990, CO\u2082 has contributed&nbsp;<strong>78 percent of the increase<\/strong>&nbsp;in the atmosphere&#8217;s heat-trapping capacity. This dominant position stems from several factors:<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-annual-greenhouse-gas-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">climate<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23954\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_9490-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1641390111&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.066666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_9490.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23954\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eliminating all human caused CO2 from being released into the atmosphere would mean no beer. Beer brewing creates CO2. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The atmospheric concentration of CO\u2082 has risen dramatically due to fossil fuel combustion and land use changes, and once emitted, CO\u2082 persists in the atmosphere for an extraordinarily long time. After 100 years, around 40 percent of emitted CO\u2082 remains in the atmosphere, and after 1,000 years, approximately 20 percent still persists. This longevity means CO\u2082 accumulates continuously, creating a sustained and increasing warming effect.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.resources.org\/archives\/should-climate-policy-focus-more-on-methane-or-carbon-dioxide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resources<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23968\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_1013-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 14&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1706976570&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_1013.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23968\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_1013-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">According to many, Ice core records extending back 800,000 years demonstrate&nbsp;<strong>strong correlations between CO\u2082 levels and temperature reconstructions<\/strong>&nbsp;throughout Earth&#8217;s climate history. However, this isn\u2019t readily apparent whe<strong>n plotting <\/strong>CO2 and temperature because proxies must be used for temperature going back that far. Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit produced precise mercury-in-glass thermometers and a reliable temperature scale, enabling accurate, repeatable air and water temperature measurement and recording in the early 1700s. But world wide recording of temperature didn\u2019t take place until much later. To avoid arguments regarding the temperature data it is best to concentrate on periods of time where temperature has been carefully recorded. Current CO\u2082 concentrations are higher than at any point in at least the past 800,000 years, providing compelling evidence of the gas&#8217;s close relationship with global temperature.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2008\/05\/19\/ice_core_record_800ky\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blogs.edf<\/a> But it is hard to argue otherwise when comparing CO2 to temperature measurements from 1980 to current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/eos.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fig-2-not-red-1568x1384.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/bioscience\/article-lookup\/doi\/10.1093\/biosci\/biaf149\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BioScience<\/a>,&nbsp;<\/em>analyzes global data on Earth\u2019s atmosphere, oceans, energy, ecosystems, food systems, and more. Researchers identified our planet\u2019s so-called vital signs, including ocean temperature, surface temperature, sea ice extent, and carbon pollution. Of the 34 vital signs, 22 were at record levels, indicating a highly stressed Earth system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2025 State of the Climate Report: Our Planet\u2019s Vital Signs are Crashing<\/strong> By&nbsp;<a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/eos.org\/author\/gvandeelen\">Grace van Deelen<\/a>29 October 2025<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-72ff2e87-8b6d-4256-a02b-cf100e6f908a-1365x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-865373730\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Methane&#8217;s Potent but Shorter-Lived Impact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Methane (natural gas) is the&nbsp;<strong>second-largest contributor to global warming, accounting for 19 percent<\/strong>&nbsp;of the total warming influence from greenhouse gases. While methane represents a smaller share than CO\u2082, it is far more potent on a per-molecule basis.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-annual-greenhouse-gas-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">climate<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23969\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7646-jpg-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 13 Pro Max&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1757170228&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00037105751391466&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7646.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23969\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7646-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">One kilogram of methane has a global warming potential (GWP) approximately&nbsp;<strong>27-30 times stronger than CO\u2082 over a 100-year timeframe<\/strong>. Over a shorter 20-year period, methane&#8217;s warming impact is even more dramatic\u2014approximately&nbsp;<strong>80-86 times stronger than CO\u2082<\/strong>. This higher short-term potency occurs because methane molecules are exceptionally effective at absorbing infrared radiation emitted by Earth&#8217;s surface.epa+4\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-b933910c-acd0-48c0-93a1-28c8b2822e34-1365x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image--1282110178\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Methane&#8217;s Atmospheric Lifetime<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Methane remains in the atmosphere for approximately 9 to 12 years on average<\/strong>. More specifically:rifs-potsdam+4\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li>The average time a physical methane molecule stays in the atmosphere is estimated at&nbsp;<strong>around 9.6 years<\/strong><a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atmospheric_methane\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wikipedia<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The &#8220;perturbation lifetime&#8221;\u2014the time the atmosphere is affected by a methane emission before reaching equilibrium\u2014is approximately&nbsp;<strong>12 years<\/strong>rifs-potsdam+1\u200b<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23971\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_3739-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1675093272&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_3739.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23971\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_3739-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">This relatively short atmospheric lifetime distinguishes methane fundamentally from CO\u2082. Methane is primarily removed from the atmosphere through chemical oxidation, particularly reactions with hydroxyl radicals. After breakdown, methane oxidizes to CO\u2082, contributing additional long-term warming.ghginstitute+1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23972\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7867-jpg-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 13 Pro Max&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1666011810&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0070921985815603&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7867.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23972\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7867-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The short lifetime creates an important asymmetry in climate policy: constant CO\u2082 emissions lead to continuously rising temperatures, while constant methane emissions eventually lead to a stable (though elevated) temperature plateau. This occurs because after several decades of sustained methane emissions, new emissions balance out with the chemical breakdown of existing methane in the atmosphere.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.resources.org\/archives\/should-climate-policy-focus-more-on-methane-or-carbon-dioxide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resources<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Slashing methane emissions &#8212; the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide &#8212; is considered one of the fastest ways to curb global warming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although it remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years, the &#8220;super pollutant&#8221; is roughly 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At COP30, seven countries &#8212; Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Norway, Japan and Kazakhstan &#8212; signed a statement vowing to achieve &#8220;near zero&#8221; methane emissions across the fossil fuel sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/us.afpnews.com\/article\/?brazils-action-agenda-at-cop30-takes-shape,83MH9ZQ&amp;utm_source=flipboard&amp;utm_content=topic\/unitednationsclimatechangeconference\">Brazils Action Agenda at COP30 <\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-63587017-3b5a-43dd-8afa-7f3801bd72db-1365x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-328502561\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Water Vapor: The Feedback Amplifier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Water vapor is&nbsp;<strong>Earth&#8217;s most abundant greenhouse gas<\/strong>, responsible for about&nbsp;<strong>41-67 percent of the overall greenhouse effect<\/strong>&nbsp;(with clouds accounting for roughly 25 percent). Despite its quantitative dominance, water vapor is not considered a primary driver of current global warming. Instead, it acts as a powerful&nbsp;<strong>positive feedback mechanism<\/strong>&nbsp;that amplifies warming caused by other greenhouse gases.science.nasa+4<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23974\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/imgp2031-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2304,1728\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.3&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;PENTAX Optio S4i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1150679760&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.8&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"imgp2031.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23974\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imgp2031-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The feedback loop works as follows: as greenhouse gases like CO\u2082 and methane increase temperatures, more water evaporates from oceans and land surfaces. Warmer air can hold approximately&nbsp;<strong>7 percent more water vapor for every 1\u00b0C temperature increase<\/strong>. This additional water vapor then traps more heat, causing further warming and enabling the atmosphere to hold even more moisture.skepticalscience+1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" data-attachment-id=\"23977\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7558-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1559560812&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025380710659898&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7558.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23977\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Scientists estimate that water vapor feedback&nbsp;<strong>roughly doubles the warming<\/strong>&nbsp;that would occur from CO\u2082 alone. Atmospheric water vapor concentrations are increasing at a rate of&nbsp;<strong>1 to 2 percent per decade<\/strong>&nbsp;as the climate warms.science.nasa+1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23976\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7564-jpg-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1559666240&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.058823529411765&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7564.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7564-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Unlike CO\u2082 and methane, water vapor has an extremely short atmospheric residence time of&nbsp;<strong>approximately nine days on average<\/strong>, as it constantly cycles through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. This rapid cycling means water vapor concentrations respond to temperature changes rather than driving them independently. Human activities do not directly control atmospheric water vapor levels in the same way they control CO\u2082 and methane emissions.theconversation+2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23977\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7558-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1559560812&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025380710659898&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7558.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23977\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7558-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Comparative Impact and Policy Implications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">When evaluating which gas best correlates with global warming, context matters significantly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>For long-term temperature changes<\/strong>: CO\u2082 shows the strongest correlation because its multi-century to millennial persistence means every ton emitted contributes to near-permanent elevated temperatures. Stabilizing global temperature requires CO\u2082 emissions to reach net zero.resources+1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23978\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_8929-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1525200012&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.14285714285714&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_8929.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_8929-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>For near-term warming rates<\/strong>: Methane shows strong correlation with short-term temperature increases due to its high immediate radiative forcing, despite its shorter lifetime. Reducing methane emissions offers opportunities for rapid climate benefits within decades.ccacoalition+3<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23975\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_9776-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1577549833&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.1&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_9776.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9776-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>For total greenhouse effect<\/strong>: Water vapor correlates strongly with temperature but as a consequence rather than a cause of anthropogenic warming, amplifying the effects of the long-lived greenhouse gases that humans emit.skepticalscience+2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23981\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7433-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1559398168&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0018796992481203&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7433.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-300x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-1024x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23981\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7433-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The most comprehensive measure of greenhouse gas warming influence\u2014NOAA&#8217;s Annual Greenhouse Gas Index\u2014shows that by 2022, the combined warming influence of human-produced greenhouse gases had risen&nbsp;<strong>49 percent since 1990<\/strong>, with CO\u2082 as the dominant contributor, followed by methane. This index confirms that while multiple gases contribute to warming, carbon dioxide remains the primary gas whose atmospheric concentration correlates most strongly with the trajectory of global temperature increase.gml.noaa+1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-ab31edfc-381c-4488-ae37-44cc51778cd3-1024x1365.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-328502817\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-annual-greenhouse-gas-index\">https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-annual-greenhouse-gas-index<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/2021\/08\/09\/ar6-wg1-20210809-pr\/\">https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/2021\/08\/09\/ar6-wg1-20210809-pr\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.resources.org\/archives\/should-climate-policy-focus-more-on-methane-or-carbon-dioxide\/\">https:\/\/www.resources.org\/archives\/should-climate-policy-focus-more-on-methane-or-carbon-dioxide\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2008\/05\/19\/ice_core_record_800ky\/\">https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2008\/05\/19\/ice_core_record_800ky\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ghgemissions\/understanding-global-warming-potentials\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ghgemissions\/understanding-global-warming-potentials<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rifs-potsdam.de\/en\/blog\/2024\/04\/methane-short-lived-gas-far-reaching-effects\">https:\/\/www.rifs-potsdam.de\/en\/blog\/2024\/04\/methane-short-lived-gas-far-reaching-effects<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccacoalition.org\/short-lived-climate-pollutants\/methane\">https:\/\/www.ccacoalition.org\/short-lived-climate-pollutants\/methane<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/climate.sustainability-directory.com\/question\/why-is-methane-more-potent-than-carbon-dioxide\/\">https:\/\/climate.sustainability-directory.com\/question\/why-is-methane-more-potent-than-carbon-dioxide\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atmospheric_methane\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atmospheric_methane<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/explore\/earth-indicators\/methane\/\">https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/explore\/earth-indicators\/methane\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ghginstitute.org\/2024\/10\/17\/which-methane-gwp-value-do-i-use\/\">https:\/\/ghginstitute.org\/2024\/10\/17\/which-methane-gwp-value-do-i-use\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/climate-change\/steamy-relationships-how-atmospheric-water-vapor-amplifies-earths-greenhouse-effect\/\">https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/climate-change\/steamy-relationships-how-atmospheric-water-vapor-amplifies-earths-greenhouse-effect\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/climatechange\/comments\/17ma6va\/what_is_water_vapor_from_combustions_role_in\/\">https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/climatechange\/comments\/17ma6va\/what_is_water_vapor_from_combustions_role_in\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/skepticalscience.com\/water-vapor-greenhouse-gas.htm\">https:\/\/skepticalscience.com\/water-vapor-greenhouse-gas.htm<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-rising-water-vapour-in-the-atmosphere-is-amplifying-warming-and-making-extreme-weather-worse-213347\">https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-rising-water-vapour-in-the-atmosphere-is-amplifying-warming-and-making-extreme-weather-worse-213347<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Greenhouse_gas\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Greenhouse_gas<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gml.noaa.gov\/aggi\/aggi.html\">https:\/\/gml.noaa.gov\/aggi\/aggi.html<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ghgemissions\/overview-greenhouse-gases\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ghgemissions\/overview-greenhouse-gases<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0013935123028530\">https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0013935123028530<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/greenly.earth\/en-us\/blog\/ecology-news\/is-water-vapor-a-greenhouse-gas\">https:\/\/greenly.earth\/en-us\/blog\/ecology-news\/is-water-vapor-a-greenhouse-gas<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions\">https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.c2es.org\/content\/main-greenhouse-gases\/\">https:\/\/www.c2es.org\/content\/main-greenhouse-gases\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/climateer.substack.com\/p\/methane-lifetime\">https:\/\/climateer.substack.com\/p\/methane-lifetime<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/climate-indicators\/greenhouse-gases\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/climate-indicators\/greenhouse-gases<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38169167\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38169167\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/acp.copernicus.org\/articles\/23\/4863\/2023\/acp-23-4863-2023.pdf\">https:\/\/acp.copernicus.org\/articles\/23\/4863\/2023\/acp-23-4863-2023.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wri.org\/insights\/4-charts-explain-greenhouse-gas-emissions-countries-and-sectors\">https:\/\/www.wri.org\/insights\/4-charts-explain-greenhouse-gas-emissions-countries-and-sectors<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/askscience\/comments\/10y6emc\/is_the_relative_contribution_to_global_warming_of\/\">https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/askscience\/comments\/10y6emc\/is_the_relative_contribution_to_global_warming_of\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0043135424000174\">https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0043135424000174<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/climatemodels.uchicago.edu\/slugulator\/slugulator.doc.html\">https:\/\/climatemodels.uchicago.edu\/slugulator\/slugulator.doc.html<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-07\/DOE_Critical_Review_of_Impacts_of_GHG_Emissions_on_the_US_Climate_July_2025.pdf\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-07\/DOE_Critical_Review_of_Impacts_of_GHG_Emissions_on_the_US_Climate_July_2025.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1462901122001204\">https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1462901122001204<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2950138524000019\">https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2950138524000019<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/climate-indicators\/climate-change-indicators-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/climate-indicators\/climate-change-indicators-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/climate\/comments\/s69gbu\/how_much_more_potent_is_methane_than_carbon\/\">https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/climate\/comments\/s69gbu\/how_much_more_potent_is_methane_than_carbon\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lamont.columbia.edu\/news\/attribution-science-linking-climate-change-extreme-weather\">https:\/\/lamont.columbia.edu\/news\/attribution-science-linking-climate-change-extreme-weather<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/eos.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/significant-anomalies-and-events-1568x1106.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"global-and-us-methane-emissions-reduction-efforts\">Global and U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Efforts (2015\u20132025)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Over the past decade, the world has implemented several major initiatives to limit methane releases from utilities and the fossil fuel industry:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>U.S. Federal Actions:<\/strong><br \/>The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created the&nbsp;<strong>Methane Emissions Reduction Program<\/strong>, providing $1.36 billion in financial and technical assistance to reduce methane from oil and gas operations through equipment upgrades, leak detection and repair (LDAR), and monitoring systems. A&nbsp;<strong>Waste Emissions Charge (WEC)<\/strong>&nbsp;was established, beginning at $900 per ton in 2024 and increasing to $1,200 per ton in 2025 and $1,500 per ton in 2026, though this has faced legal challenges. The EPA also strengthened the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) and issued regulations on methane from oil and gas infrastructure, including requirements to ban routine venting and flaring of natural gas.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/inflation-reduction-act\/methane-emissions-reduction-program\">epa+2<\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-765f3375-be03-480d-ab58-80f31d24d98a-1024x1365.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1402244643\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>International Efforts:<\/strong><br \/>The&nbsp;<strong>European Union&#8217;s Methane Regulation<\/strong>&nbsp;(entered August 2024) requires mandatory measurement, reporting, and verification of methane emissions from oil and gas operators within the EU and imposes detection and repair requirements with strict timelines (5\u201315 working days). The regulation bans venting and routine flaring and applies to both domestic production and imported fossil fuels. The&nbsp;<strong>Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0)<\/strong>framework, adopted by industry, now covers 42 percent of global oil and gas production and emphasizes direct measurement rather than estimates.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/energy.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/carbon-management-and-fossil-fuels\/methane-emissions_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">energy.europa<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23984\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_6266-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1520769387&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;40&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.033333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_6266.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_6266-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"seattles-natural-gas-policies-and-the-electrificat\">Seattle&#8217;s Natural Gas Policies and the Electrification Effort<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Building Emissions Performance Standard:<\/strong><br \/>Seattle passed a&nbsp;<strong>Building Emissions Performance Standard<\/strong>&nbsp;(signed December 2023), requiring all existing commercial and multifamily residential buildings over 20,000 square feet to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 (2045 for commercial buildings). This effectively mandates replacement of oil and gas furnaces with heat pumps and electric systems, though it avoids an explicit natural gas ban to circumvent legal challenges faced by other cities.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cascadepbs.org\/environment\/2024\/01\/seattle-electrifying-new-buildings-despite-ruling-against-gas-bans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cascadepbs+1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-af7ceacb-18ae-48fd-8d69-9d446d384724-1024x1365.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image--1818980579\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>State-Level Setback:<\/strong><br \/>Washington voters approved&nbsp;<strong>Initiative 2066 in November 2024<\/strong>, which preempts cities from phasing out natural gas or enacting policies that discourage natural gas use. This significantly constrains Seattle&#8217;s ability to pursue aggressive electrification policies and contradicts some climate goals.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/wacities.org\/advocacy\/news\/advocacy-news\/2024\/11\/16\/i-2066-appears-to-pass-prohibits-cities-from-disincentivizing-natural-gas-use\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wacities<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"23989\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_4650-jpg-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1556717090&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.03030303030303&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_4650.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-225x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-768x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_4650-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Oil Heating Phase-Out:<\/strong><br \/>Seattle has been more successful with&nbsp;<strong>heating oil elimination<\/strong>. The city estimated approximately&nbsp;<strong>18,000 homes still used oil heating as of 2019<\/strong>. Mayor Jenny Durkan proposed a heating oil tax ($0.24\/gallon) with rebates and grants for electric heat pump conversion, targeting to eliminate all oil heating by 2030. By 2024, the city expanded incentives with a&nbsp;<strong>$4,000 rebate for moderate-income households<\/strong>, stackable with a $2,000 federal tax credit and $2,000 city rebate for total incentives of up to $8,000.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/westseattleblog.com\/2019\/08\/still-use-heating-oil-mayor-wants-you-to-stop\/\">westseattleblog+1<\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"natural-gas-price-trends-and-consumer-adoption\">Natural Gas Price Trends and Consumer Adoption<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Price Concerns in Seattle:<\/strong><br \/>Natural gas prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area have been&nbsp;<strong>volatile but not uniformly rising<\/strong>. In December 2024, piped natural gas cost $1.425 per therm, higher than the prior year&#8217;s $0.985 per therm\u2014a 45 percent increase. However, NW Natural reported that after accounting for inflation, residential customers are paying&nbsp;<strong>less in 2024 than 20 years ago<\/strong>($83.70 average bill in 2024 vs. $85.79 in 2006). As of 2025, Washington natural gas rates are actually&nbsp;<strong>decreasing<\/strong>\u2014residential customers using 56 therms monthly will see about a $4 monthly reduction starting November 2025. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) customers in the Seattle area faced a 10.6 percent natural gas rate increase in January 2025, followed by an additional 1.8 percent increase in 2026.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/regions\/west\/news-release\/averageenergyprices_seattle.htm\">bls+2<\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23994\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_2405-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_2405.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2405-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Not the Primary Driver of Heat Pump Adoption:<\/strong><br \/>While price is a factor,&nbsp;<strong>natural gas affordability does not appear to be the dominant reason for lower natural gas hookups in new construction<\/strong>. Instead, the shift to heat pumps is driven by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Heat pump cost savings<\/strong>: Converting from oil heat saves approximately $1,100 per year; switching from gas furnaces also yields substantial operating savings<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smartcitiesdive.com\/news\/seattle-heat-pumps-rebate-oil-heating\/727875\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">smartcitiesdive+1<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climate policy incentives<\/strong>: Federal, state, and local rebates totaling up to $8,000 make heat pumps financially attractive<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smartcitiesdive.com\/news\/seattle-heat-pumps-rebate-oil-heating\/727875\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">smartcitiesdive<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Building codes and emissions standards<\/strong>: Seattle&#8217;s Building Emissions Performance Standard creates pressure to electrify<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cascadepbs.org\/environment\/2024\/01\/seattle-electrifying-new-buildings-despite-ruling-against-gas-bans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cascadepbs<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Environmental consciousness<\/strong>: Regional values in the Pacific Northwest favor decarbonization<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kuow.org\/stories\/climate-friendly-heat-pumps-are-not-cheap-rebates-can-help\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">kuow<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"23991\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_2753-jpg\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 7 Plus&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1548855583&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.033333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_2753.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23991\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2753-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"oil-propane-and-heating-furnaces-in-seattle-and-th\">Oil, Propane, and Heating Furnaces in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Current Usage:<\/strong><br \/>The Pacific Northwest region uses oil and propane more extensively than the national average, though Seattle proper has lower usage than rural areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Nationally<\/strong>: Oil heating is used in approximately 5 million households (4 percent), and propane in another 5 million (4 percent)<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/atlasbuildingshub.com\/2023\/04\/03\/fuel-oil-and-propane-space-heating-across-the-united-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">atlasbuildingshub<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seattle specifically<\/strong>: Approximately&nbsp;<strong>18,000 homes use oil heat<\/strong>&nbsp;as of 2019<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/westseattleblog.com\/2019\/08\/still-use-heating-oil-mayor-wants-you-to-stop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">westseattleblog<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Washington State propane usage<\/strong>: Below 4 percent of households region-wide, with propane concentrated in agricultural and eastern Washington areas<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleanenergytransition.org\/post\/how-the-northwest-heats-homes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cleanenergytransition<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"732\" data-attachment-id=\"23995\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/img_7406-jpg-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1829\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 13 Pro Max&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1756904412&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;320&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"img_7406.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-1024x732.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-1024x732.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-1024x732.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_7406-2048x1463.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Future Trajectory:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Oil and propane furnaces will likely&nbsp;<strong>continue in use but increasingly paired with electric heat pump augmentation<\/strong>under the following conditions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-decimal\">\n<li><strong>Regulatory Pressure<\/strong>: Seattle&#8217;s Building Emissions Performance Standard creates a 27-year transition timeline (2023\u20132050) for multifamily buildings and 22 years (2023\u20132045) for commercial buildings, but these timelines are long enough that many existing systems will remain in operation for 10\u201320 more years as supplemental heating.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.seattletimes.com\/seattle-news\/environment\/new-seattle-law-phases-out-emissions-from-large-building-by-2050\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">seattletimes+1<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Federal Tax Credits Expired<\/strong>: The 30 percent federal income tax credit (up to $2,000) for heat pump installation&nbsp;<strong>ended December 31, 2025<\/strong>. This removal eliminates a major financial incentive, likely slowing heat pump adoption rates for homeowners without state or local rebates.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/evergreenhomeheatingandenergy.com\/blog\/329692\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">evergreenhomeheatingandenergy<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dual-System Adoption<\/strong>: Many Seattle-area homeowners are choosing&nbsp;<strong>hybrid or dual-fuel systems<\/strong>&nbsp;that combine high-efficiency heat pumps with existing gas or propane furnaces for backup heating during extreme cold. This approach leverages existing infrastructure while adding electric capacity.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/heatpumps\/comments\/18sh948\/replacing_a_gas_furnace_in_seattle_go_heat_pump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reddit+1<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Initiative 2066 Constraint<\/strong>: Washington&#8217;s Initiative 2066, passed in November 2024, legally prevents cities from discouraging natural gas use, which will likely slow the phase-out trajectory for gas and propane systems. Utilities are required to continue providing service, limiting aggressive conversion campaigns.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/wacities.org\/advocacy\/news\/advocacy-news\/2024\/11\/16\/i-2066-appears-to-pass-prohibits-cities-from-disincentivizing-natural-gas-use\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wacities<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Remaining Oil Systems Accelerating Out<\/strong>: Oil heating is declining more rapidly than gas or propane due to high costs ($1,100+ annually per household), aging infrastructure (most tanks from 1920\u20131950), environmental liability risks (leaking steel tanks), and targeted incentives. These systems will largely be eliminated by 2030 if Mayor Harrell&#8217;s goal is met.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/westseattleblog.com\/2019\/08\/still-use-heating-oil-mayor-wants-you-to-stop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">westseattleblog+1<\/a>\u200b<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"file:\/\/\/private\/var\/mobile\/Containers\/Data\/Application\/66F7A8B1-9072-4CAE-AEE1-1BEF69479177\/tmp\/org.automattic.MediaImageServiceSymlinks\/thumbnail-67c48e0c-11f7-484d-a3fd-7fd6290f71e6-1365x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1402244899\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Summary:<\/strong>&nbsp;Oil furnaces in Seattle will likely disappear by 2030 due to targeted programs and cost advantages of heat pumps. Natural gas and propane systems will remain prevalent for 15\u201325 years, increasingly functioning as supplemental backup to heat pumps rather than primary heating, particularly as emissions standards tighten and the operating costs of electric heating advantage heat pumps. However, Initiative 2066 now legally protects gas utility service, meaning Seattle cannot mandate retirement of natural gas systems as aggressively as originally planned.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/wacities.org\/advocacy\/news\/advocacy-news\/2024\/11\/16\/i-2066-appears-to-pass-prohibits-cities-from-disincentivizing-natural-gas-use\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wacities<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/inflation-reduction-act\/methane-emissions-reduction-program\">https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/inflation-reduction-act\/methane-emissions-reduction-program<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eenews.net\/articles\/us-prepares-wave-of-methane-rules-on-oil-and-gas-industry\/\">https:\/\/www.eenews.net\/articles\/us-prepares-wave-of-methane-rules-on-oil-and-gas-industry\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.catf.us\/resource\/uk-regulatory-roadmap-blueprint-emissions-reductions-energy-sector\/\">https:\/\/www.catf.us\/resource\/uk-regulatory-roadmap-blueprint-emissions-reductions-energy-sector\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/energy.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/carbon-management-and-fossil-fuels\/methane-emissions_en\">https:\/\/energy.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/carbon-management-and-fossil-fuels\/methane-emissions_en<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cascadepbs.org\/environment\/2024\/01\/seattle-electrifying-new-buildings-despite-ruling-against-gas-bans\/\">https:\/\/www.cascadepbs.org\/environment\/2024\/01\/seattle-electrifying-new-buildings-despite-ruling-against-gas-bans\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seattletimes.com\/seattle-news\/environment\/new-seattle-law-phases-out-emissions-from-large-building-by-2050\/\">https:\/\/www.seattletimes.com\/seattle-news\/environment\/new-seattle-law-phases-out-emissions-from-large-building-by-2050\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/wacities.org\/advocacy\/news\/advocacy-news\/2024\/11\/16\/i-2066-appears-to-pass-prohibits-cities-from-disincentivizing-natural-gas-use\">https:\/\/wacities.org\/advocacy\/news\/advocacy-news\/2024\/11\/16\/i-2066-appears-to-pass-prohibits-cities-from-disincentivizing-natural-gas-use<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/westseattleblog.com\/2019\/08\/still-use-heating-oil-mayor-wants-you-to-stop\/\">https:\/\/westseattleblog.com\/2019\/08\/still-use-heating-oil-mayor-wants-you-to-stop\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartcitiesdive.com\/news\/seattle-heat-pumps-rebate-oil-heating\/727875\/\">https:\/\/www.smartcitiesdive.com\/news\/seattle-heat-pumps-rebate-oil-heating\/727875\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/regions\/west\/news-release\/averageenergyprices_seattle.htm\">https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/regions\/west\/news-release\/averageenergyprices_seattle.htm<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwnatural.com\/about-us\/rates-and-regulations\/gas-price\">https:\/\/www.nwnatural.com\/about-us\/rates-and-regulations\/gas-price<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utc.wa.gov\/news\/2025\/state-regulators-approve-new-rates-pse\">https:\/\/www.utc.wa.gov\/news\/2025\/state-regulators-approve-new-rates-pse<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kuow.org\/stories\/climate-friendly-heat-pumps-are-not-cheap-rebates-can-help\">https:\/\/www.kuow.org\/stories\/climate-friendly-heat-pumps-are-not-cheap-rebates-can-help<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/atlasbuildingshub.com\/2023\/04\/03\/fuel-oil-and-propane-space-heating-across-the-united-states\/\">https:\/\/atlasbuildingshub.com\/2023\/04\/03\/fuel-oil-and-propane-space-heating-across-the-united-states\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleanenergytransition.org\/post\/how-the-northwest-heats-homes\">https:\/\/www.cleanenergytransition.org\/post\/how-the-northwest-heats-homes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/evergreenhomeheatingandenergy.com\/blog\/329692\">https:\/\/evergreenhomeheatingandenergy.com\/blog\/329692<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/heatpumps\/comments\/18sh948\/replacing_a_gas_furnace_in_seattle_go_heat_pump\/\">https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/heatpumps\/comments\/18sh948\/replacing_a_gas_furnace_in_seattle_go_heat_pump\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/HomeImprovement\/comments\/rll2ve\/oil_furnace_home_owners_how_many_gallons_are_you\/\">https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/HomeImprovement\/comments\/rll2ve\/oil_furnace_home_owners_how_many_gallons_are_you\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wshfc.org\/EnergySpark\/EPSAuditExample.pdf\">https:\/\/www.wshfc.org\/EnergySpark\/EPSAuditExample.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pse.com\/en\/press-release\/details\/Puget-Sound-Energy-files-two-year-electric-and-natural-gas-rate-plan\">https:\/\/www.pse.com\/en\/press-release\/details\/Puget-Sound-Energy-files-two-year-electric-and-natural-gas-rate-plan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n <\/div>\r\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Carbon dioxide (CO\u2082) shows the strongest overall correlation with global warming&nbsp;among greenhouse gases, primarily because it accounts for the largest share of human-caused warming and accumulates in the atmosphere for centuries to millennia. While methane is more potent per molecule in the short term and water vapor is quantitatively the most abundant greenhouse gas, CO\u2082&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23954,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming: Understanding CO\u2082, Methane, and Water Vapor","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[66],"tags":[99,352,523,366],"class_list":["post-23957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-evaluation","tag-beer","tag-climate-change","tag-co2","tag-palm-oil"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_9490-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4nQeu-6ep","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23957"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24027,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23957\/revisions\/24027"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}