Pulling the emergency brake on global warming through methane mitigation

Problem

Methane is a dangerous greenhouse gas with 86 times the planet-warming power as carbon dioxide. Currently, the amount of methane in the atmosphere is 160% higher than pre-industrial levels, putting the world on a course toward extreme temperature rise. Methane emissions endanger people’s health and livelihoods, with a disproportionate impact on historically marginalized communities and countries, where methane sources like landfills, mines and cattle farms are often located. But there is also good news, as methane emissions are often an avoidable byproduct of human activity, coming in forms like gas leaks, and there are already cost-effective solutions which can enable a dramatic reduction quickly. Reducing methane emissions by 35% by 2030 will keep the world under the critical 1.5°C warming threshold, but slow action by governments and a lack of funding make reaching this goal difficult. Right now, methane reduction receives less than 2% of global climate dollars.

Big Idea

Methane reduction offers an opportunity because, while carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, methane persists for just seven to 12. As a result, reducing methane emissions now will lower atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations quickly. Methane also has another big advantage: it comes from a limited number of sources. About 95% of methane emissions are concentrated in just three sectors — energy, agriculture and waste. And just five countries account for nearly half of all current emissions — China, the US, India, Russia and Brazil — with the Global South projected to account for 86% of emissions by 2050. By addressing methane in the highest-emitting sectors now and deploying smart strategies in target geographies around the globe, Global Methane Hub will make an impact quickly. By 2030, they plan to reach that goal of a 35% reduction, helping the world avoid the worst of climate impacts.

Plan

Global Methane Hub coordinates stakeholders worldwide, setting both short-term and long-term mitigation priorities within each of its target sectors. Across their target geographies, they seek out opportunities to implement high-potential solutions, as identified by regional actors. In general, they employ five cross-cutting strategies: (1) mobilizing public and private funding and aligning existing climate finance to focus on methane mitigation; (2) building the infrastructure for real-time data on methane emissions that can inform action by policymakers, corporations and local organizers; (3) supporting the creation of global, regional and country plans around methane mitigation; (4) building the technical capacity of grassroots and civil society organizations in this space, as well as relevant government bureaus; and (5) coordinating research efforts around new methane mitigation solutions, for example developing alternate livestock feed for cows, as their digestive process accounts for 70% of agricultural methane emissions.

Why will it Succeed?

Global Methane Hub, launched in 2021, is the world’s first and only globally coordinated philanthropic effort to slash methane emissions. They were established to build support for the Global Methane Pledge — which more than 155 countries have now signed, committing to reducing their methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Global Methane Hub has grown into a key convener, advisor and grant-maker, working top-down with government leaders, corporations and funders, as well as bottom-up with NGOs, academics, local administrations and grassroots leaders. 2024 is an important year for methane mitigation efforts, as both the MethaneSAT (launched with support from The Audacious Project) and Carbon Mapper satellites are beginning to track methane emissions, offering real-time data on emissions worldwide. Global Methane Hub is poised to make the most of these new tools, to hold methane polluters accountable and turn commitments on methane reduction into action.