Exclusive: Fixing a leak can be simple and equivalent to closing a coal power station, making lack of action maddening, say analysts
The world’s worst mega-leaks of the potent greenhouse gas methane in 2025 have been revealed by an analysis of satellite data.
The super-polluting plumes from oil and gas facilities have a colossal heating impact on the climate but often result from poor maintenance and can be simple to fix. The assessment found dozens of mega-leaks, each having the same global heating impact as a coal-fired power station.
The researchers said it was “maddening” that such easy action to fight the climate crisis was not being taken, and said people should be angry. Stopping the leaks can even be free, given that captured gas can be sold – methane is the “natural gas” that fires power stations.
My aim was at the incessant drumbeat pointing to individuals to “do better” when there’s basically silence about corporate interests. People are conditioned to feel personally responsible, and either feel like there’s nothing more for them to do outside of their own behaviors, and/or bear the guilt personally which should be borne by the aforementioned corporations.
While it is of course proper for individuals to tailor their own behaviors for the greater good, make no mistake: when you see or hear produced messaging pointing to how individuals should modify their behavior with respect to climate, it is propaganda.
Taking over a coal power plant by force and shutting it down will do much more to combat climate change than separating paper from plastic in recycling.
You didn’t need to write a word of that. I know exactly what you are doing and why you think you’re doing it.
Do you really think there is nothing for individuals to do, here? 8 billion people. Do they tend to just do the right thing unprompted? Is it corporate malfeasance anytime someone puts up a sign about what can / cannot be recycled in this bin?
Aha. Here is where I call on you to produce the phantasm. This is the supposed person walking behind you crying SHAME that I referred to. DO BETTER.
Can you show this relentless drumbeat to me? If this is really an ever present voice in your ear, you must be able to produce examples of someone saying “consumers, it’s all your fault.” Show me where anyone is actively pointing at consumers, guilting them, engaging in this propaganda. If this drumbeat is so relentless it must be all over the web. Give me half a dozen links telling you to turn off the lights because you are destroying the planet.