To tackle climate change, experts say there needs to be an urgent focus on methane.

A group of international researchers has highlighted the critical role of methane in driving global warming, saying methane emissions have been responsible for about half of the increase in global temperatures from the preindustrial era to the 2010s. 

Despite this, efforts to combat climate change have predominantly focused on reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

The researchers call for a more balanced approach that also addresses methane, presenting a comprehensive three-step plan to curb these emissions and introducing an online tool to aid countries in tailoring their methane management strategies.

Professor Drew Shindell of Duke University, the lead author of a new report published in Frontiers in Science, emphasised the urgency of addressing methane emissions. 

“The world has been rightly focused on carbon dioxide, which is the largest driver of climate change to date,” said Shindell. 

“Methane seemed like something we could leave for later, but the world has warmed very rapidly over the past couple of decades, while we’ve failed to reduce our CO₂ emissions. So that leaves us more desperate for ways to reduce the rate of warming rapidly, which methane can do.”

The researchers' three-step plan is aimed at mitigating methane emissions swiftly and effectively:

  1. Immediate reduction of methane emissions: Rapid and substantial cuts in methane emissions are crucial. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, and reducing its emissions can have a swift impact on slowing down global warming.

  2. Coordination of methane and CO2 reduction efforts: The team warns that focusing exclusively on CO2 or methane will be insufficient. Coordinated efforts to reduce both gases are necessary. Cutting only CO2 will not halt warming quickly enough, while focusing solely on methane would delay, but not prevent, global heating.

  3. Incentives and enforcement for methane abatement: Implementing policies that incentivise and enforce methane reduction is vital. The economic benefits of mitigating methane often outweigh the costs, with estimates suggesting that each tonne of methane emitted in 2020 caused US$470-1700 in damages. When factoring in health impacts from air pollution, the true cost could rise to $7,000 per tonne.

To assist countries in developing effective methane reduction strategies, the researchers have introduced an online tool. 

This tool helps identify the most impactful measures for different regions based on their specific circumstances and existing initiatives. 

For instance, in fossil fuel-producing countries, the most effective measures might include regulating production, incentivising methane capture, or imposing a price on methane emissions. In other countries, targeting emissions from landfills might yield the greatest benefits.

“People can make sure they avoid overconsumption of beef and dairy, and compost their organic waste whenever possible,” said Shindell. 

“If it’s not possible where they live, they can vote for those who’ll create programs for composting in their towns. They can also vote for those who will make polluters pay for methane emission rather than letting them profit while society picks up the tab for the damages they’re inflicting.”

Methane does not accumulate in the atmosphere for as long as CO2, meaning that reductions in methane emissions can lead to more immediate benefits. 

If all methane emissions were stopped tomorrow, more than 90 per cent of the accumulated methane would be gone in 30 years, compared to only about 25 per cent of CO2. 

This makes methane reduction a highly effective short-term strategy for mitigating climate change.

However, Shindell cautioned that uncertainties remain, particularly in parsing out the contributions of individual factors to the recent surge in methane emissions. 

“We don’t yet have enough data to fully parse out the contributions of individual factors to the recent surge in the observed growth rate, for example. But it is imperative to rapidly reduce methane emissions to reduce the accelerating climate damages so many people around the world are suffering,” he said.