Context:
The International Energy Agency’s Global Methane Tracker 2024 indicates that methane emissions from fuel usage in 2023 were nearly at their highest level on record, representing a slight increase compared to 2022.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Dimensions of the Article:
- Major Highlights of Global Methane Tracker 2024
- What is Methane?
- What is the Global Methane Pledge?
Major Highlights of Global Methane Tracker 2024
Total Methane Emissions (2023):
- Methane emissions from fossil fuels reached nearly 120 million tonnes (Mt).
Bioenergy Contribution:
- Bioenergy, mainly from biomass use, contributed an additional 10 Mt of methane emissions. This level has remained constant since 2019.
Increase in Major Emission Events:
- Major methane emissions events surged by over 50% in 2023 compared to 2022.
- These events accounted for more than 5 million metric tons of methane emissions from significant fossil fuel leaks globally.
Prominent Incident:
- A major well blowout in Kazakhstan persisted for over 200 days.
Emission Contributors:
- Nearly 70% of methane emissions from fossil fuels are produced by the top 10 emitting countries.
- The United States leads in methane emissions from oil and gas operations, followed closely by Russia.
- China tops the list as the highest emitter of methane in the coal sector.
Emission Reduction Goals:
- Aiming to cut methane emissions from fossil fuels by 75% by 2030 is essential to limit global warming to 1.5 °C.
Financial Estimates:
- Achieving the 75% reduction goal would require approximately USD 170 billion in spending, which is less than 5% of the income generated by the fossil fuel industry in 2023.
Potential for Avoidable Emissions:
- About 40% of the emissions from fossil fuels in 2023 could have been prevented at no net cost.
What is Methane?
Chemical Composition:
- Methane (CH4) is the simplest hydrocarbon, composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
Characteristics:
- Odourless, colourless, and tasteless gas.
- Lighter than air.
- Burns with a blue flame in complete combustion, yielding carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) in the presence of oxygen.
Contribution to Global Warming:
- Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2).
- It has a 20-year global warming potential (GWP) of 84, indicating that it traps 84 times more heat per mass unit than CO2 over a 20-year period.
- Despite its potency, methane has a shorter atmospheric lifetime compared to CO2, categorizing it as a short-lived GHG.
- It contributes to about 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the preindustrial era and also aids in the formation of ground-level ozone.
Major Sources of Methane Emission:
- Natural Sources:
- Wetlands, both natural and human-made, contribute significant methane emissions due to anaerobic decomposition of organic matter.
- Agricultural Activities:
- Growing paddy fields release methane due to anaerobic conditions in flooded rice paddies.
- Enteric fermentation in cattle and other livestock results in methane production as a byproduct.
- Combustion and Industrial Processes:
- Burning of fossil fuels, including oil and natural gas, emits methane.
- Biomass burning, such as wood and agricultural residues, also contributes to methane levels.
- Industrial activities like landfills and wastewater treatment plants generate methane during organic waste decomposition in anaerobic environments.
- Fertiliser factories and other industrial processes can release methane during production and transportation.
What is the Global Methane Pledge?
Introduction and Objectives:
- Launched at UNFCCC COP26 in November 2021, the Global Methane Pledge aims to drive action towards reducing methane emissions.
- Spearheaded by the US and the EU, the Pledge now encompasses 111 countries, collectively responsible for 45% of global human-caused methane emissions.
Targets:
- The Pledge seeks a 30% reduction in global methane emissions from 2020 levels by 2030.
India’s Stance on the Global Methane Pledge:
- Primary Climate Change Contributor:
- India emphasizes that CO2 remains the principal contributor to climate change, possessing a lifespan of 100-1000 years.
- The Pledge’s focus on methane, with its shorter lifespan of just 12 years, shifts the burden away from reducing CO2 emissions.
- Methane Emissions and Agriculture:
- In India, significant methane emissions originate from agricultural activities like enteric fermentation and paddy cultivation.
- The Pledge could adversely impact small, marginal, and medium farmers, who form the backbone of India’s agricultural sector.
- This is in contrast to developed countries, where industrial agriculture is more prevalent.
- Trade and Economic Implications:
- Being a leading rice producer and exporter, signing the Pledge might pose challenges to India’s trade and economic interests.
- Livestock and Methane Emissions:
- India hosts the world’s largest cattle population, vital for the livelihoods of many.
- However, due to their diet rich in agricultural by-products and unconventional feed materials, Indian livestock’s contribution to global enteric methane remains minimal.
-Source: Down To Earth
