Methane is the second-biggest cause of global warming caused by anthropogenic activity after carbon dioxide and is 80 times more powerful
Representational photo from iStock The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) notified governments of 127 plumes spanning four continents and identified 1,500 plumes in its pilot stage.
This is according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on December 1, 2023.
UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) launched MARS, the first-ever global system that uses satellite data to monitor major emission events and notify governments and companies who can address them, at COP27 last year.
Methane is the second-biggest cause of global warming caused by anthropogenic activity after carbon dioxide and is 80 times more powerful. Energy, agriculture and waste sectors are the primary emitters of methane, responsible for 30 per cent of the earth’s warning. However, the energy sector offers the most potential for mitigation.
Rick Duke, United States Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, said in a press statement, “As their work with the Methane Alert and Response System shows, IMEO is playing a critical role in pulling this data together and putting it in the hands of those in a position to act on it.”
The IMEO, launched at the G20 Leaders Summit in 2021, gathers methane emissions-related from satellites through MARS and from industries through the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0. It also relies on scientific measurement studies.
The Oil & Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0) is UNEP’s flagship programme that includes a partnership of companies to improve the accuracy and transparency of methane emissions data from the oil and gas sector through a committed framework.
Some 114 oil and gas companies joined the OGMP 2.0 September 2023 cut-off, the UNEP said in the report titled An Eye on Methane: The Road to Radical Transparency.
In 2021, 72 companies were part of the OGMP 2.0, representing just under one-third of global oil and gas production, and reported 1.3 million tonnes of methane emissions from both operated and non-operated assets.
In 2022, the number grew to 92 members in the OGMP 2.0, representing 34 per cent of global oil and gas production amounting to 1.6 million tonnes. However, this was still a mere two per cent of the total methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, the report added.
“There is also the possibility that the emissions of non-OGMP 2.0-members could be on average much higher than those of current members, although the difference would have to be huge to account for the discrepancy,” the study stated.
Total reported methane emissions (tonnes) by segment, region, and operatorship of assets, 2022
Under the OGMP, a “Gold Standard” reporting is achieved once companies empirically reconcile measurements at source (Level 4) and site (Level 5) levels for the vast majority of their assets.
“In total, 84 companies met the Gold Standard pathway criteria, meaning that they are on a credible pathway to achieve Gold Standard reporting of methane emissions for most of their operated assets by the third year and of their non-operated assets by the fifth year,” the UNEP said.
Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, the director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division explained: “In close collaboration with scientific partners worldwide and in partnership with governments and industry, UNEP, through OGMP 2.0, is actively defining the global standard for methane transparency in the oil and gas industry. This is a dynamic process, as standards and practices will continue to evolve as new measurement and mitigation methods emerge.”
The IMEO has also initiated 34 scientific studies across the globe. This research will cover where methane emissions come from, and how to mitigate them. It includes the first multiscale methane measurement scientific campaign based in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. The research will also have a particular focus on flaring efficiency, as it is under-reported.
IMEO is also working with countries to come up with baselining studies to serve multi-sectoral industry stakeholders and governments. It is also working with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to translate the findings into policies and strategies and to eventually reflect in the Nationally Determined Contributions.
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