The Global Methane, Climate and Clean Air (GMCCA) Forum 2022 is taking place in Washington, DC, USA. The forum aims to discuss measures to protect the climate and improve air quality with a particular emphasis on methane abatement. A significant focus is placed on adherence to the Global Methane Pledge, a commitment made by numerous countries to significantly reduce methane emissions.
Forum Overview: Joint Efforts for Clean Air
The GMCCA Forum is co-sponsored by two entities: the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), which was convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The GMI is a unique international public-private partnership that works to minimize obstacles to the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source. This initiative offers technical support to implement methane-to-energy projects globally, enabling Partner Countries to initiate their own methane recovery plans. India is one of the countries partnered with the GMI.
The Global Methane Pledge: A Worldwide Commitment
The Global Methane Pledge was officially launched at the Conference of Parties (COP) 26 in November 2021. The pledge, led by the United States and the European Union, commits its 111 country participants to work collectively towards reducing methane emissions by a minimum of 30% below 2020 levels by the year 2030. Together, these countries are responsible for approximately 45% of global human-caused methane emissions. While India is not currently a participant in the pledge, it ranks among the top five global methane emitters, with most emissions linked to agricultural practices.
Methane: A Powerful Greenhouse Gas
Methane is a simple hydrocarbon gas found in Earth’s atmosphere. It consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). Despite its simple structure, methane is a potent greenhouse gas. It’s produced by the breakdown or decay of organic material and can be introduced into the atmosphere through natural processes such as plant decay in wetlands, gas seepage from underground deposits, and cattle’s digestion of food, as well as human activities like oil and gas production, rice farming, and waste management.
Impact of Methane on Climate
Methane has a high global warming potential – it’s 84 times more potent than carbon and doesn’t last as long in the atmosphere before it breaks down. This makes it a critical target for reducing global warming quickly while simultaneously working to reduce other greenhouse gases. Methane is also responsible for creating ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant.
Indian Initiatives Against Air Pollution
Several initiatives have been launched in India to combat air pollution, including the Harit Dhara project, the India Greenhouse Gas Program, and the National Action Plan on Climate Change. Additionally, emission norms have been upgraded from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI).
Decarbonizing The Future: Next Steps
Mitigating methane and other short-lived climate pollutants is crucial to meeting decarbonisation goals. Effective strategies include developing national action plans that identify specific actions to encourage emissions reduction, define timelines and assess necessary resources; proposing new policies aimed at methane emissions like leak detection and repair programmes, technology and equipment standards, limits on flaring and venting, and measurement and reporting requirements; setting national reduction targets to establish political commitment and enable better planning; participating in rapid response systems based on satellite detections for large emissions events; and allocating funding towards research on mitigation technologies and support for verifiable projects.
UPSC Civil Services Examination: Methane in Focus
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination has previously included questions about methane deposits, known as ‘methane hydrate’, and its role in global warming. The exam has also featured questions about the impact of crop and biomass residue burning on the release of gases like carbon monoxide, methane, ozone, and sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere.
Last Modified: February 18, 2024