Global Methane Pledge Offers Reason for Cautious Optimism

More than 100 countries have signed a first-of-its-kind pledge to cut emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, by 30% between now and 2030. The signatories represent 70% of the global economy, including six of the world’s top 10 methane polluters. In all the back and forth over the Glasgow climate talks, the importance of this breakthrough is easy to overlook.

Methane has been called climate’s “low-hanging invisible fruit.” A byproduct of fossil fuel, landfills, and agriculture, it’s a “super pollutant” that can trap heat in the atmosphere 80 times more effectively than carbon dioxide. Because it’s so powerful, a tiny amount in the atmosphere can have huge effects on the climate. The good news is that methane only lasts in the atmosphere for about 12 years — unlike carbon dioxide, which lasts for centuries. That means cutting methane emissions will pay off very quickly, both for the planet and for human health. What’s more, up to half of human-generated methane emissions can be cut at low or even negative cost using existing technology.