Methane contributes to climate change primarily by acting as a potent greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases, such as methane, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, leading to an increase in global temperatures. Although methane is less prevalent in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide, it is significantly more effective at retaining heat, being over 20 times more effective over a 100-year period than carbon dioxide. As methane levels rise from sources like agriculture, landfills, and natural gas extraction, the enhanced greenhouse effect accelerates climate change, causing shifts in weather patterns, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and broader ecological impacts.
The other options do not correctly capture methane's role in climate change. Depleting the ozone layer refers to different substances that harm stratospheric ozone, while reflecting solar radiation would reduce warming but is not a characteristic of methane. Promoting photosynthesis is related to carbon dioxide, which plants use, and does not directly relate to methane's impact on climate dynamics.