Summarised by Centrist
Former professor Keith Woodford discusses the complex issue of calculating methane emissions. He points out how the calculation relies on both scientific analysis combined with value judgments. These value judgments are not solely scientific decisions but societal choices.
One critical value judgement concerns the time horizon used for comparing short-lived gases like methane and long-lived gases like carbon dioxide. Woodford says that the choice of time horizon significantly affects the assessment of their warming potential. For example, by extending the horizon to 500 years, the warming effect of methane relative to carbon dioxide decreases drastically, altering the perceived significance of methane emissions.
