Halving methane emissions could hold key to saving our planet

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Halving methane emissions by the end of the decade holds the key to saving the planet, according to new research.

It will buy the world time to tackle climate change, say scientists.

Only around 13 percent of emissions are regulated - despite them fuelling a quarter of global warming.

Main sources of the powerful but short-lived gas include agriculture and leaks from oil and gas production and landfills.

Lead author Maria Olczak, of Queen Mary University of London, said: "Methane reduction is still perceived as a choice rather than a necessary step alongside CO2 reduction to combat global warming.

"And with so many different sources, there needs to be stronger social support and the political will to act.

"Our review highlights the value of setting policies that are predictable and clear for the industry.

"They will aid effective investment decisions aligned with the long-term climate mitigation goals, including the decrease in emission intensity and in production across developed and developing economies."

The study in the journal One Earth also found little is known about the effectiveness of existing policies, with potentially unrepresentative estimations rather than actual measurements masking methane's impact.

This must urgently be addressed if we are to meet climate targets.

A worldwide review with robust quantification and reporting could unlock new opportunities to drastically reduce global warming levels.

To meet the Paris Agreement 1.5°C objective, man-made emissions should be reduced by at least 40-45% by 2030, compared to 2020 levels.

It could also improve air quality. Methane emissions are increasing faster than at any time since the 1980s.

The first analysis of its kind focused on 281 national policies worldwide, 255 of them currently in force, examining geographical coverage, strength and effectiveness.

Most (90%) have been adopted in three regions - the U.S. (39%), Europe (30%) and Asia Pacific (21%).

Developing and using technologies such as satellites to monitor methane emissions can help policymakers with measurement, verification, compliance and detection of super-emitters.

Introducing policies with greater policy coverage, mitigation solutions including for major sources, and measurable objectives could lead to a significant methane emissions reduction.

Co-author Dr. Paul Balcombe, also from Queen Mary, said: "It's shocking to see most methane emissions aren't regulated when they contribute heavily to global warming today, although accurately monitoring emissions is not easy.

"Our chances of reaching global climate targets are slim if this goes unchecked.

"The good news is there is an enormous opportunity to limit warming in the short term if we act fast to get on top of methane emissions.

"We urgently need tighter regulation on better monitoring of methane and concrete actions towards reduction measures."

Since 2008, there's been a big spike in methane emissions, which researchers believe is linked to the boom in fracking for gas in parts of the U.S.

In 2019, methane in the atmosphere reached record levels, around two-and-a-half times above what they were in the pre-industrial era.

What worries scientists is that methane has real muscle when it comes to heating the planet. Over a 100-year period, it is 28-34 times as warming as CO2.

Over a 20-year period, it is around 84 times as powerful per unit of mass as carbon dioxide.

However, one key positive about CH4 is that it doesn't last as long in the air as CO2.

Co-author Professor Andris Piebalgs, of the Florence School of Regulation and a former EU Commissioner for Energy, added: "Over the last few years, we have seen growing attention to methane thanks to multilateral initiatives such as the International Methane Emissions Observatory and the Global Methane Pledge.

"The European Union and the U.S. EPA are now working to finalize ambitious regulations targeting methane emissions in the energy sector.

"I hope that the upcoming COP28 and the first Global Stocktake will make the policymakers across the world realise that methane mitigation is an effective way to enhance their climate commitments."