ESA: 2024 Global Methane Budget reveals alarming trends

The European Space Agency (ESA) warns in a report published on Tuesday that global methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas, continue to rise. The report reveals that human activities are responsible for at least two-thirds of global methane emissions.“The trends are going in exactly the opposite direction of what is needed to maintain a habitable planet and limit global warming below even 2°C.” the report states.

ESA calls the developments “worrisome”. Emissions have increased by 20 percent over the last two decades, with the fastest rise occurring over the past five years. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted emission reduction strategies.

Global Methane Pledge

Despite international commitments to reduce methane emissions, including the Global Methane Pledge, signed by 158 countries, which aims for a 30% reduction by 2030, current trends are worrying. No breakthrough has been achieved.

Of all the gases that enter the air due to human actions, methane (CH4) makes the most significant contribution to global warming after carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is in much smaller concentrations in the atmosphere than CO2 and lingers there relatively short, but it has a much stronger warming effect per unit.

Most pessimistic scenarios

Methane emissions from fossil fuels, agriculture, and waste management have continued to climb. The 2024 report highlights that if the current trends persist, we are unlikely to meet the targets of the Global Methane Pledge.

The ESA figures show the methane level is 2.6 times higher than pre-industrial levels and the highest in at least 800,000 years. This leads to the most pessimistic greenhouse gas scenarios, which predict global temperatures could rise above 3°C by the century’s end if such trends continue.

Top five emitters

The top five emitters of anthropogenic methane in 2022 were China (16%), India (9%), the US (7%), Brazil (6%), and Russia (5%). In contrast, Europe and Australia have seen successful reductions in methane emissions over the past two decades.

Currently, no technologies can directly remove methane from the atmosphere, making it imperative to reduce emissions at their source. Strategies to address this include leak detection and repair, recovery of vented gas, and improved waste management practices.

ESA is making significant strides in methane monitoring and mitigation, contributing valuable data and insights to the global effort to curb methane emissions and address climate change.