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Methane Molecule, Credit: Vchal for iStock
What you need to know about methane
- Methane (CH4), the primary component of natural gas, is responsible for approximately a third of the warming we are experiencing today. (IPCC)
- Methane is a powerful and short-lived greenhouse gas, with a lifetime of about a decade and Global Warming Potential about 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2) during the 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere. (IPCC)
- Without action global anthropogenic methane emissions are projected to rise by up to 13% between 2020 and 2030. Global methane emissions must be reduced by 30-60% below 2020 levels by 2030 to be consistent with least-cost pathways of limiting global warming to 1.5°C this century (CCAC). · Methane also harms human and ecosystem health. Methane emissions lead to ground-level ozone pollution which causes approximately a million premature deaths per year globally and reduces crop productivity and harms ecosystems.. (UNEP&WMO)
- Decarbonizing our economies and transitioning out of fossil fuels to achieve net zero by 2050 must go hand in hand with full implementation of targeted methane abatement by 2030 to keep our 1.5 °C target within reach. All least cost pathways consistent with 1.5 °C require full implementation of methane targeted measures by 2030 to cut emissions by 30-60% below 2020 levels by 2030.
- Proven technologies and practices could reduce emissions from the major sectors, i.e. fossil fuel, waste and agriculture, by approximately 180 million tonnes a year, or as much as 45% by 2030. Most of these technical solutions can be implemented at negative or low cost, especially in the fossil fuel and waste sectors.
- Methane is increasingly a global climate priority, with ambition for addressing emissions building among both governments and companies. (UNEP)
- The majority of human-driven methane emissions come from three main sectors: approximately 40% from agriculture, 35% from fossil fuels an another 20% from solid waste and wastewater (CCAC)
- The fossil fuel sector has the greatest share of ready-to-implement and cost effective technical opportunities to reduce methane emissions in this decade. Investments needed in operational changes in the oil and gas sector are equivalent to less than 2% of income generated by oil and gas companies in 2022.
The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) catalyses the collection, reconciliation and integration of empirically based, near real time methane emissions data, to provide unprecedented climate transparency and the information required for reducing this powerful greenhouse gas.
IMEO exists to provide open reliable actionable data to the individuals who act to reduce 150 Mt of methane emissions by 2030. It serves the rapidly growing ecosystem of governments, companies, investors, researchers, NGOs and other entities engaging in this crucial climate challenge.
Launched at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2021, IMEO focussed initially on emissions from the fossil industry. It reconciles methane data from scientific measurement studies, satellites through the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS), rigorous industry reporting through the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0), and national inventories. IMEO is expanding its activities to other sectors.
