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Methane to Markets                      www.methanetomarkets.org

Methane to Markets: the voluntary US initiative for the reduction of Methane Emissions.

The USA has accepted that human activities are causing global warming. Global temperatures could rise by up to 6^oC in the 21st century, which would lead to an 88cm 3ft) sea level rise, threatening 100 million people.

Greenhouse gases (GHG) have increased 10 percent since 1990.

The USA has not signed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol for a 5.2 percent reduction in GHG below 1990 levels by 2008-12. It is, however, now focusing on methane.

Carbon dioxide is the main GHG emitted, followed by methane - a hydrocarbon that is the primary component of natural gas. It is a short-lived GHG with an atmospheric lifetime of approximately 12 years compared to over 100 years for carbon dioxide. Also, methane is 23 times more potent as a GHG, kilogram for kilogram, than carbon dioxide. The balance of the input rate and the removal rate determines atmospheric concentrations of GHG. There will be a greater impact by concentrating on methane in the medium-term because it is shortlived and has a high global warming potential (GWP).

President Bush is keen to concentrate on methane, for the above environmental reasons, and also because methane can be combusted, generating energy and income, and saving fossil fuels from being burnt. Many methane emission sources are small, localised and can be used to the advantage of indigenous people.

Methane is emitted from a variety of both anthropogenic (humaninfluenced) and natural sources. Anthropogenic emission sources include coal mining, natural gas and oil systems, landfills and agriculture. Some 60 percent of methane emissions come from anthropogenic sources, with around 40 percent from natural sources. Globally, China, India, the USA, Brazil, Russia and the Eurasian countries are responsible for almost half of these anthropogenic methane emissions.

President Bush announced the Methane to Markets Partnership (hereafter referred to as the Partnership) in a statement on 28 July 2004. This was announced as a new and innovative programme to increase energy security, improve environmental quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the world.

Click here to download the full Methane to Markets article, as published in Wastes Management Magazine. (Printable version.)