A methane plume at least 4.8 kilometres long billows into the atmosphere south of Tehran, Iran
NASA/JPL-Caltech
The issue of methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas responsible for a significant portion of global warming, is gaining more attention on the global stage. A recent report released at the COP29 climate summit highlighted the challenge of addressing methane “super-emitters” who often fail to take action when alerted about their substantial emissions.
Various initiatives, such as the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory, are leveraging satellite data to identify methane leaks from sources like oil and gas infrastructure, coal mines, landfills, and agriculture. While this data is crucial for holding emitters accountable, the response rate to alerts remains low, indicating a lack of urgency and transparency in addressing methane emissions.
Despite commitments from countries and major oil and gas companies to reduce methane emissions, the transition from monitoring to action has been slow. Challenges such as technical and financial constraints, as well as the difficulty of pinpointing ownership of leaky infrastructure, contribute to the limited progress in reducing methane emissions.
At the COP29 meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, discussions on methane emissions are a key focus. Countries have announced new measures to tackle methane emissions, including a proposed fee on methane in the US aimed at oil and gas emitters. However, the effectiveness of these measures may be subject to political changes in the future.
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