A New Zealand - led study on climate change reveals that agriculture , not fossil fuels , is likely to be the major cause of the rise in methane concentrations in the atmosphere over the last decade . CO₂ , a greenhouse gas , is one of the major contributors to climate change . According to the study , the amount of methane in the atmosphere is estimated to have risen by about 150 % since 1750 . However, that is not reflected in the atmosphere," Schaefer said. Previously , studies had determined that the methane originated from an area that included Southeast Asia , China and India – , dominated by rice production and agriculture .
A New Zealand - led study on climate change reveals that agriculture , not fossil fuels , is likely to be the major cause of the rise in methane concentrations in the atmosphere over the last decade . CO₂ , a greenhouse gas , is one of the major contributors to climate change . According to the study , the amount of methane in the atmosphere is estimated to have risen by about 150 % since 1750 . Previously , studies had determined that the methane originated from an area that included Southeast Asia , China and India – , dominated by rice production and agriculture .