Climate study by BU identifies Odisha among key methane hotspots
Berhampur: In a major scientific development with special relevance to Odisha, researchers from the Department of Environmental Science, Berhampur University, have prepared India’s first high-resolution methane (CH₄) emission inventory for the year 2023, highlighting the State as a significant contributor to the country’s methane footprint.
The study, led by Saroj Kumar Sahu and his senior PhD scholar Ashirbad Mishra, published in the reputed journal Earth System Science Data, map methane emissions across India at a fine spatial resolution (0.1° × 0.1°) that includes types of 25 anthropogenic and natural sources. The dataset fills a crucial gap in India’s greenhouse gas assessment and climate modelling.
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, traps more than 85 times the heat of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and significantly accelerates global warming, contributing to extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and climate variability.
The study estimates India’s total methane emissions in 2023 at 37.79 teragrams per year, with nearly 75 per cent originating from human activities. Agriculture is the largest contributor (about 49 per cent – 50 per cent), mainly due to livestock enteric fermentation and rice cultivation. Wetlands account for 22.8 per cent of emissions, followed by fossil fuels (8.9 per cent), waste management (8.4 per cent), and other sources such as biomass burning and household energy use.
Odisha figures prominently in the national methane profile. The State contributes around 6 per cent of India’s total methane emissions and ranks among the top five wetland-emitting States, accounting for nearly 10 per cent of the country’s wetland methane output. Its extensive inland water bodies, deltaic systems, and coastal ecosystems are major factors behind this share.
In addition, Odisha is a significant contributor in the fossil fuel category due to extensive coal mining activities, along with emissions linked to thermal power generation. These factors place the State among the leading methane-emitting regions in eastern India.
The research also notes that methane emissions tend to be higher in rural and semi-urban areas compared to cities, primarily due to greater livestock density, traditional agricultural practices, and biomass-based cooking. Notably, this is the first comprehensive national inventory that includes natural methane sources such as wetlands and termite activity, offering a more complete picture of India’s methane budget. The newly developed high-resolution dataset is expected to serve as a valuable scientific tool for climate modelling, policy formulation, and targeted mitigation strategies. For Odisha, identified as a high-emission State, the findings provide an important evidence base for planning sector-specific interventions in agriculture, wetlands management, mining, and energy.
Researchers emphasised that the study marks a significant step toward strengthening India’s climate response through region-specific data, enabling States like Odisha to move towards more informed and sustainable environmental planning.
