A gas made up of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Methane is the main component of natural gas, commonly used as a fuel for heating. It is released during the production and distribution of natural gas but also through livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in landfills. Like carbon dioxide, methane is a greenhouse gas and exacerbates climate change. However, methane has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide, meaning that it has a much larger effect than the same amount of CO2.