Frontiers in Science Lead Article
Published on 30 Jul 2024
Hear renowned experts discuss next steps for protecting Earth’s remaining biodiversity, in a Frontiers Forum Deep Dive event video.
A stronger focus on methane reduction could buy crucial time to tackle CO₂ mitigation challenges and achieve global climate goals, emphasize Dr Lars Peter Riishojgaard and Dr Oksana Tarasova, World Meteorological Organization, Switzerland.
To limit global warming below 2°C, robust policies must motivate methane reduction efforts and align them with CO₂ emission targets, notes Dr Andy Reisinger, Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University, Australia.
Modest reduction in methane emissions, paired with decarbonization strategies, could significantly improve climate, air quality, human health, and food security, highlights Dr Fiona O'Connor, Met Office Hadley Centre and University of Exeter, UK.
Transitioning from voluntary methane pledges to mandatory mitigation, with stringent regulations and methane pricing, is crucial to reduce near-term warming and avoid climate tipping points, argues Durwood Zaelke, Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, USA.
The atmospheric methane growth rates of the 2020s far exceed the latest baseline projections; methane emissions need to drop rapidly (as do CO₂ emissions) to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C.
The abrupt and rapid increase in methane growth rates in the early 2020s is likely attributable largely to the response of wetlands to warming with additional contributions from fossil fuel use, in both cases implying that anthropogenic emissions must decrease more than expected to reach a given warming goal.
Rapid reductions in methane emissions this decade are essential to slowing warming in the near future, limiting overshoot by the middle of the century and keeping low-warming carbon budgets within reach.
Methane and CO₂ mitigation are linked, as land area requirements to reach net zero CO₂ are about 50–100 million ha per GtCO₂ removal via bioenergy with carbon capture and storage or afforestation; reduced pasture is the most common source of land in low-warming scenarios.
Strong, rapid, and sustained methane emission reduction is part of the broader climate mitigation agenda and complementary to targets for CO₂ and other long-lived greenhouse gases, but a net zero target specifically for methane is neither necessary nor plausible.
Many mitigation costs are low relative to real-world financial instruments and very low compared with methane damage estimates, but legally binding regulations and widespread pricing are needed to encourage the uptake of even negative cost options.
A summary of the lead article in a Q&A format, with infographics and a video.
A version of the lead article written for—and peer reviewed by—kids aged 8-15 years.
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