Global Methane Assessment

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Recently, the Climate and Clean Air (CCA) Coalition and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released the report titled “Global Methane Assessment: Benefits and Costs of Mitigating Methane Emissions”.

Reasons for Focusing on Methane

• Methane is the second biggest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide.
• It is 84 times more potent than carbon but it does not last as long in the atmosphere before it breaks down.
• This makes it a critical target for reducing global warming more quickly while simultaneously working to reduce other greenhouse gases (GHGs).
• Most human-caused methane emissions came from three sectors, namely:
  • Fossil Fuels: Oil and gas extraction, processing and distribution accounted for 23 per cent of methane emissions in the fossil fuel sector. Coal mining accounted for 12 per cent of emissions.
    • During mining, fractured coal seams and surrounding strata emit methane into the atmosphere.
  • Waste: Landfills and wastewater made up about 20 per cent of emissions in the waste sector.
  • Agriculture: Livestock emissions from manure and enteric fermentation constituted for roughly 32 per cent and rice cultivation eight per cent of emissions.
    • Methane is produced in the digestive system of ruminant (cows, water buffaloes, sheep, goats and camels) animals.
    • This gas is then released through these animals’ flatulence, when they belch or through their manure.
• Reduced methane would prevent 260,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits annually, as well as 25 million tonnes of crop losses.
• Cutting methane emissions can rapidly reduce the rate of warming in the near-term as the gas breaks down quickly.
• India currently has the world’s largest cattle population and is a significant producer of rice and because of this, methane accounts for approximately 20 per cent of India’s total emissions.

Major Findings 

• Human-caused methane emissions are increasing faster currently than at any other time since record keeping began in the 1980s.
• Methane in the atmosphere reached record levels in 2020, which is a cause of concern as it is an extremely powerful GHG and is responsible for about 30 per cent of warming since pre-industrial times.
  • However, carbon dioxide levels have dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the lockdowns and travel restrictions.
• The mitigation potential varies between countries and regions.
  • Europe has the greatest potential to curb methane emissions from farming, fossil fuel operations and waste management.
  • India has the greatest potential to reduce methane emissions in the waste sector.
  • China’s mitigation potential is best in coal production and livestock.
  • Africa’s mitigation potential is in livestock, followed by oil and gas.
• Sector wise, the fossil fuel industry had the greatest potential for low-cost methane cuts.
  • Up to 80 per cent of measures in the oil and gas industry could be implemented at negative or low cost.
  • About 60 per cent of methane cuts in this sector could make money as reducing leaks would make more gas available for sale.

(Image Courtesy: CCAC)

Recommendations and Suggestions

• Human-caused emissions must be cut by 45 per cent as it would prevent a rise in global warming by up to 0.3 degrees Celsius by 2045 and help limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a goal of the Paris climate accord.
• The waste sector can cut its methane emissions by improving the disposal of sewage around the world.
• Behavioural changes can reduce methane emissions by 65-80 million tonnes per year over the next few decades.
  • These lifestyle changes include reducing food waste and loss, improving livestock management and adopting healthy diets (vegetarian or with a lower meat and dairy content).
• The benefits to society, economies, and the environment are numerous and far outweigh the cost so there is a need for international cooperation to urgently reduce methane emissions as much as possible this decade.

Initiatives for Methane Emissions Reduction

• Global Methane Initiative: It is an international public-private partnership focused on reducing barriers to the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source. It provides technical support to deploy methane-to-energy projects around the world.
• European Union Methane Strategy: It was adopted by the European Commission in October 2020, which outlined measures to cut methane emissions in Europe and internationally.
• India’s GHG Programme: It is an industry-led voluntary framework aiming to help Indian companies monitor progress towards measurement and management of GHG emissions.
• India-US Clean Energy Agenda 2030: It was launched at the Leaders Summit on Climate, held in April 2021. At the Summit, Russia, France and Argentina called for curbing methane emissions.

Source: DTE