Nations that recognized methane-focused mitigation measures of their NDCs. Every row represents the mitigation actions in three completely different sectors: agriculture (high row), waste administration (center row) and fossil fuels (backside row). Every map reveals a selected sub-sector for mitigation, for instance, livestock enteric fermentation (higher left nook). Nations in blue (crimson) have (haven’t) signed the International Methane Pledge. Nations in white don’t current any methane mitigation methods of their NDCs. Supply: Malley et al. (2023)
The researchers discovered that if all 476 methane mitigation actions have been absolutely applied, international human-caused methane emissions can be slashed by about 31 per cent. Due to this fact, they’d obtain the International Methane Pledge aim, which goals to cut back 30 per cent of world methane emissions by 30 per cent in 2030.
The paper additionally breaks down mitigation actions by sector. For example, measures to cut back “fugitive” methane emissions leaking throughout oil manufacturing have been included by 18 per cent of nations.
Actions to cut back on-farm emissions from manure administration and livestock have been pledged by 30 per cent of countries.
Capturing landfill gasoline – which is created by decomposing natural matter – was talked about by 59 per cent of nations.
The examine concludes that to restrict international warming to 1.5°C, a higher ambition of methane discount actions is required, together with particular person behavioural measures – akin to shifting to low methane-emitting diets and lowering natural waste technology – in addition to the participation of nations that haven’t but signed the pledge.
Even earlier than the International Methane Pledge, there had been a rise in insurance policies and measures to cut back methane emissions.
This IEA chart of recent insurance policies since 2010 reveals that almost all of them have been applied at a nationwide stage (darkish blue). Since 2021, there was an uptick in worldwide insurance policies geared toward chopping methane (mild blue).
Insurance policies and measures associated to methane abatement from 2010-22. Darkish blue accounts for nationwide insurance policies and measures; mild blue represents the worldwide ones. Supply: IEA. Chart by Carbon Transient
For the reason that International Methane Pledge, quite a lot of international locations have printed their particular plans on lowering methane.
In 2021, the US launched its methane emissions discount motion plan to chop emissions from oil and gasoline manufacturing by 75 per cent and from agriculture by 10 per cent. In 2022, Canada introduced its methane technique to chop 35 per cent of methane emissions by 2030, together with 75 per cent of methane emissions from oil and gasoline manufacturing.
Additionally in 2022, the EU and US, together with 11 different international locations, launched the International Methane Pledge Power Pathway, to speed up methane emissions reductions from the oil and gasoline sector.
In 2023, China issued a methane motion plan, which incorporates 20 “key duties” for lowering methane, akin to emissions monitoring and creating coverage frameworks. Nonetheless, it lacks numerical targets, as Carbon Transient reported on the time.
Growing international locations are additionally essential to lowering methane emissions, says Dr Marcelo Mena, chief government of the International Methane Hub, a philanthropic organisation that helps international locations in fulfilling their commitments below the International Methane Pledge.
Mena tells Carbon Transient:
“Total, methane mitigation has been approached from the vitality sector standpoint. For international locations that would not have oil and gasoline manufacturing, how will they decrease emissions within the waste and livestock sector? There may be lots of work to be achieved.”
Lower than 2 per cent of world local weather finance – totalling simply over US$10 billion – was focused at methane mitigation in 2019-20, based on an evaluation by the not-for-profit analysis group Local weather Coverage Initiative.
The report highlights that present methane mitigation funding “just isn’t sufficient to restrict international warming to 1.5°C” and should develop no less than tenfold to fulfill the US$110 billion of personal and public finance wanted for the world to be 1.5°C-aligned.
It provides that almost all methane finance was allotted in east Asia and the Pacific – the most important methane-emitting area – however Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa all have “vital abatement potential”.
What are the most important sources of methane emissions?
Agriculture
Agriculture is a major supply of methane – accounting for nearly half of human-caused emissions, based on the IPCC. Livestock alone causes round 30 per cent of human-caused methane emissions.
Methane emissions from agriculture and waste rose by one-sixth over 2000-20, based on the brand new International Methane Funds.
Agriculture and livestock are liable for the overwhelming majority of methane emissions in international locations with huge farming sectors, akin to New Zealand, Brazil and Eire .
Virtually 90 per cent of New Zealand’s methane emissions hint again to agriculture. The nation additionally has among the many highest methane emissions per capita, rating alongside fossil-fuel-producing international locations akin to Turkmenistan.
In Denmark, one other huge agricultural producer, the federal government just lately proposed a world-first tax on greenhouse gasoline emissions from agriculture to assist meet local weather objectives.
Methane is emitted by enteric fermentation, which takes place within the digestive system of ruminant animals, akin to cows and sheep. The gasoline is produced by micro organism within the abdomen throughout this course of after which expelled from the animal, coming into the ambiance.
Daffodils, seaweed and different objects are being examined as livestock feed to try to decrease methane emissions. “Methane blockers” have additionally been proposed to cut back emissions from UK cows, alongside government-funded initiatives aimed to breed sheep with decrease emissions. A methane-cutting vaccine can be within the works.
These initiatives are ongoing, with combined outcomes. A serious business trial of a seaweed complement for cattle in Australia noticed methane emissions drop by 28 per cent, quite than the “broadly promoted” discount of greater than 80 per cent, the Guardian reported.
In a separate Guardian article, a Swedish report discovered extra promising methane discount potential from feeding a sort of seaweed to cows, however famous that extra data is required.
Different agricultural methane emissions come up from the storage of animal manure. A 2023 examine reviewed completely different methane-cutting strategies of manure administration, together with aeration, slurry covers and chemical remedies.
Rising rice additionally results in methane emissions. The staple crop for billions of individuals around the globe accounts for round 8 per cent of human-caused methane emissions, based on the UN. The gasoline is generated by decomposing natural matter in flooded rice fields.
In 2023, the World Financial institution permitted a US$255m mortgage to assist a programme to cut back methane emissions and improve “climate-resilient” rice manufacturing in Hunan province in China, one of many nation’s greatest rice-producers.
Trials to cut back water utilization and methane emissions and produce extra rice have been gaining traction in China.
In different components of Asia, completely different options intention to chop methane emissions from rice fields by draining and re-flooding fields extra regularly.
Fossil fuels
A few third of human-caused international methane emissions come from the vitality sector, based on the IEA.
Methane emissions within the fossil gas sector come from completely different processes, together with leaks at completely different phases of oil, pure gasoline and coal operations and flaring pure gasoline – the burning of pure gasoline throughout oil extraction.
Efforts are underway to enhance methane emissions measurements from oil and gasoline, from international to sub-national ranges.
A world initiative referred to as the Oil and Fuel Methane Partnership 2.0, organised by the UN Surroundings Programme, lays out a set of practices for firms and organisations to make sure they may precisely and transparently report their fossil methane emissions. Thus far, 100 firms– accounting for 35 per cent of oil and gasoline manufacturing – are a part of the initiative.
The partnership is beginning to see enhancements in methane measurements, says Dr Paul Balcombe, senior lecturer in chemical engineering and renewable vitality at Queen Mary College of London.
In 2020, the European Fee printed its methane technique, which can enhance the detection and restore of leaks in gasoline infrastructure.
The EU methane technique was complemented by a methane emissions regulation – proposed in 2021 and handed in Could this 12 months – which seeks to compel fossil gas firms within the EU to measure, report and cut back their methane emissions, in addition to these from fossil vitality imports to the EU. Beneath this regulation, oil and gasoline producers are required to report their estimated emissions inside 12 months after it comes into drive.
This EU import normal might cut back one-third of world methane emissions from the oil and gasoline sector, based on an evaluation by the Clear Air Job Pressure.
The regulation additionally orders fossil-fuel firms to “cease avoidable and routine flaring” and to hold out flaring and venting solely in instances the place it’s “needed for security causes”.
Dr Zitely Tzompa Sosa, analysis supervisor of the Methane Air pollution Prevention crew on the Clear Air Job Pressure, says international rules have slowly moved from an engineering calculation-base to a measuring-base emissions stock.
Beneath an engineering calculation strategy, firms use information, such because the variety of amenities multiplied by standardised emission elements, to estimate methane emissions. In contrast, a measuring-based stock entails firms measuring their emissions by aeroplanes, drones or satellites, which enhance their measurements by detecting main and small leaks of methane.
Tzompa Sosa provides that utilizing measurements and emissions verification is vital to addressing methane emissions. She tells Carbon Transient:
“Verifying is vital [to seeing that] your targets are being met. We don’t solely wish to be lowering reported emissions; we wish to cut back actual, rapid methane.”
For Balcombe, to cut back methane emissions within the oil and gasoline sector, international locations and corporations ought to perceive their methane emissions and decide to fulfilling their methane targets. He says:
“Virtually each potential emission supply is feasible to get rid of, however [companies] must find out about it, enhance the design or operation of [their] tools and work with [those] who’re on the plant to grasp that methane emissions and security [are] a precedence.”
In keeping with an IEA report, “focused actions”, akin to repairing leaks to cut back methane emissions from fossil gas manufacturing and use, are essential to preserving warming to not more than 1.5°C.
Nonetheless, insurance policies aiming to cut back fossil methane emissions have been much less stringent than these for waste, based on a 2023 examine. It provides that rules primarily tackle emissions from burning (flaring) and intentional launch (venting) of methane, quite than addressing fugitive emissions or deserted oil and gasoline wells, which may proceed to leak methane if not correctly sealed off.
The examine recommends financial devices to incentivise firms to spend money on emissions discount, akin to emission buying and selling programs, taxes and monetary devices. It additionally suggests regulating methane emissions at every stage of a undertaking, together with deserted amenities.
Wetlands
Round one-third of whole international methane emissions come from pure sources – primarily wetlands, but additionally oceans and termites.
A wetland is an ecosystem that’s lined in water for all or many of the 12 months, together with Arctic permafrost peatlands, tropical mangrove plantations and salt marshes.
When in good situation, wetlands present key ecosystem providers akin to water filtration and are necessary carbon sinks.
When they’re degraded, wetlands can launch greenhouse gases together with methane, CO2 and nitrous oxide again into the ambiance. Huge swathes of wetland are degraded, with a 2023 examine discovering that Europe, the US and China have been worst hit by wetland loss.
The waterlogged soils are releasing methane into the ambiance extra quickly as local weather change raises international temperatures and disrupts rainfall patterns. That is referred to as the “wetland methane suggestions”.
The 2023 analysis discovered that international warming “undermines the mitigation potential of pristine wetlands” and provides that there’s “main uncertainty” over whether or not wetlands will stay a carbon sink because the planet warms. Allen tells Carbon Transient:
“Making an attempt to handle wetlands, that’s a large geoengineering activity. You’d have to manage the hydrology of wetland programs in pristine areas, within the tropics, in Africa…Actually there’s little or no we will do on land administration to manage these biogenic emissions.”
Landfill
Meals waste and different natural compounds breaking down in landfill websites are one other vital reason for methane.
Waste accounts for 19 per cent of world methane emissions from human actions, based on the International Methane Funds. Greenhouse gases from meals loss and waste account for round half of all international food-system emissions.
Earlier this 12 months, the Guardian’s evaluation of satellite tv for pc information confirmed greater than 1,000 “enormous” methane leaks from landfill websites around the globe since 2019.
Allen says landfill waste is a “rising worldwide drawback”– particularly in international locations with poor landfill regulation.
For instance, based on a survey from the UK Surroundings Company, one-fifth of all waste in England could also be “illegally managed” by being burned, dumped or in any other case disposed of in unofficially managed methods.
Waste administration – together with landfill – made up round 4 per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gasoline emissions in 2021, authorities statistics present. Methane comprised 90 per cent of waste emissions, largely from landfill websites.
In keeping with the UK’s Local weather Change Committee, methane emissions may very well be diminished by stopping waste, recycling and banning biodegradable waste from landfill, lowering residual waste despatched to energy-from-waste vegetation, growing landfill methane seize and bettering wastewater remedy and compost amenities.
This story was printed with permission from Carbon Transient.
