Dr. Francis Koster’s column “The politics of pure air” in the Sept. 26 Post included the statement, “Natural gas is between 150 and 180 times more powerful (than carbon dioxide) over its 12.5-year lifetime.” I had trouble with that statement.

Methane is about 20 times more efficient at absorbing infrared radiation (heat) than carbon dioxide. The Environmental Protection Agency says methane’s global warming effect is 28 to 36 times that of carbon dioxide over the course of a century. The EPA reports the concentration of methane in the atmosphere has nearly doubled in the last 50 to 60 years, approaching 2 parts per billion compared to carbon dioxide concentration of 400 parts per million.

The half-life of methane is about 8.5 years. That is, half the methane will be converted to carbon dioxide in 8.5 years. Thus, about 35 to 40 percent of methane here today will remain in 12.4 years.

I agree with Dr. Koster that leaking natural gas pipelines contribute to methane in the atmosphere. However, it has been estimated the majority of the increase is due the restoration of wetlands and the generation of marsh gas (methane).

Also, the Pulkovo Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia, has made a prediction: “The quasi-centennial epoch of the new Little Ice Age has started at the end 2015 after the maximum phase of solar cycle 24. The start of a solar grand minimum is anticipated in solar cycle 27 ± 1 in 2043 ± 11 and the beginning phase of deep cooling in the new Little Ice Age in 2060 ± 11.”

Danish, Australian, German, Irish, British, Japanese and even American climate scientists believe the earth is in for a cold spell. There is disagreement on the length of the cold period.

— Marvin Jones

Salisbury