Huge volumes of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, have been sent into the atmosphere by unexplained gas leaks.
Climate scientists described the shocking images of gas oozing to the surface of the Baltic Sea this week as a "reckless release" of greenhouse gas emissions that, if deliberate, "amounts to an environmental crime."
There were reports on Monday of explosions in the vicinity of the unusual gas leaks in the international waters but inside the exclusive economic zones of the two countries.
The largest gas leak caused a surface disturbance of 1 kilometer in diameter, while the smallest leak caused a circle of 200 meters, according to the armed forces.
Fossil infrastructure is a "ticking time bomb" due to the risk of sabotage or an accident.
The Climate Impact of the leaks is estimated to be equivalent to 7.5 million metric tons of carbon.
Methane is expected to be released into the atmosphere from the leaks. One ton of methane causes as much warming to the atmosphere as 25 tons of carbon over the course of 100 years.
BORNHOLM, DENMARK - SEPTEMBER 27: Danish Defense shows the gas leaking at Nord Stream 2 seen from the Danish F-16 interceptor on Bornholm, Denmark on September 27, 2022.According to the International Energy Agency, global methane emissions are over half a billion tons a year.
The estimated emissions from the gas leaks are just a fraction of the global total, even though the incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with fossil fuel infrastructure.
Even if only one of the two leaking pipes were to release all its contents, it would likely be twice as much methane as the Aliso Canyon leak in California.
Carbon only lasts for a short time in the atmosphere before it breaks down, while methane lasts 84 times longer. Climate change is a critical target for combatting it quickly.
The massive roiling water due to the leak as we have seen in imagery is symbolic of the enormous amount of fossil fuel that the world is combusting.
It is not known what caused the gas leaks. The incident comes amid a bitter energy standoff between the EU and Russia. Russia has denied that it was involved in the attack.
About one-third of the country's greenhouse gas emissions come from gas leaks, according to the Energy Agency.
The worst-case scenario would see 14 million metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions. The Danes had 45 million tons of carbon equivalent in 2020.
According to Grant Allen, professor of atmospheric physics at the University of Manchester, there may be up to 177 million cubic meters of gas left in the Nord Stream 2 line.
It is equivalent to 124,000 U.K. homes using gas in a year. He said that this is a reckless emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Jeffrey Kargel is a senior scientist at the Planetary Research Institute in Tucson, Arizona.
Kargel said that the huge amount of fossil fuel that the world is burning is symbolic.
Huge impacts on extreme climate are mounting every year as the global climate changes. Every adult on Earth knows about the extreme climate change that it is. It can be felt on our skin.
Both lines were still pressurized despite the fact that Nord Stream 1 stopped pumping gas to Europe because of international sanctions on Russia.
Germany refused to certify the project for commercial operations due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
According to Dave Reay, executive director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, the most direct effect of these gas leaks on climate is the greenhouse gas methane.
He said that this is a small bubble in the ocean compared to the huge amounts of methane that are emitted around the world.
Environmental campaigners argue the risk of sabotage or an accident makes fossil infrastructure a “ticking time bomb.”Even on a good day oil and gas pipes and storage leak methane constantly, because of the risk of sabotage or accident.
The climate crisis is getting worse because of the potent greenhouse gas that's behind all these numbers.
Europe must go full tilt for renewable energy and real energy savings, instead of relying on gas pipes from Norway or Algeria.
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