A growing network of satellites is mapping the many leaks of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This knowledge is needed to reduce global warming. But knowledge does not guarantee effective climate action ... especially since governments are playing second fiddle. Very strange.
In recent years, satellites have been launched to track methane emissions. On March 4, 2024, it was MethaneSAT's turn. On August 16, Tanager-1 was launched into space. Their research is crucial to the fight against climate change.
Extremely potent greenhouse gas
Methane has a much shorter lifetime than CO2, but is extremely harmful. This greenhouse gas warms the Earth eighty times more than CO2 over twenty years. Thirty percent of the warming since the Industrial Revolution has been caused by methane.
An obvious top political priority? Not really
So reducing methane emissions would seem to be an obvious top priority for any climate policy. But what should have been done decades ago has long been neglected. The Global Methane Pledge only dates back to 2021. Participating countries pledge to reduce methane emissions by at least 30 percent by 2030.
But there is a glaring flaw in this agreement. Non-participating countries account for nearly half of human-cauded emissions. Getting them on board is a necessity.
Once the decision is made, you might think, participating governments will allocate the necessary budgets and get to work on implementation, starting with tracking down the many methane leaks that need to be plugged. Forget such obvious logic.
Philanthropy funds satellites
The MethaneSAT satellite, launched in early March, is a collaboration between the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the New Zealand Space Agency. EDF is an American environmental NGO that is co-funding ... and can do so thanks to a $100 million donation from the Bezos Earth Fund. Jeff Bezos is the founder and chairman of Amazon and currently the second richest man in the world.
Launched in mid-August, Tanager-1 is an initiative of the Carbon Mapper Coalition. It has received funding from a number of philanthropic organizations: High Tide Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, Zegar Family Foundation, and Children's Investment Fund Foundation.
Curious political spectacle
The fact that governments are playing second fiddle to the methane story is puzzling. After all, climate change is undoubtedly one of the greatest dangers facing humanity, and many would argue that it is the number one danger. Climate policy is therefore an eminently public responsibility.
It is a core task, a priority that cannot be neglected. It is completely unacceptable that they should leave it to private initiative or even depend on the goodwill of philanthropists.
What makes this even more difficult is that it is governments that should be most aware of their unique position. Only they can ensure that what needs to be done is done.
Knowing and acting, a fundamental difference
Knowing where methane is leaking, however necessary, is not enough to combat climate change. Leaks have to be plugged, emissions have to be reduced, that's what matters.
It is true. NGOs, including the foundations and endowments of the world's richest people, can draw attention to pressing social issues like climate change. They can even map the challenge accurately, using satellites, for example.
But this will never be enough. Ultimately, the necessary emission reductions will require strict regulations that everyone must follow, along with a public authority that (co-)organizes, monitors and, if necessary, enforces compliance.
Dirk Barrez
Editor-in-chief of Pala.be and author
Photo International Energy Agency Creative Commons
Sources
Reuters Group backed by Bloomberg, NASA launches its first methane-hunting satellite, 16 August 2024
Carbon Mapper website
Global Methane Pledge website
ESA GHGsat zie ook GHGsat Who we are
Grist Magazine, Methane leaks are a climate problem. These satellites could help find them, 28 August 2024
Grist Magazine, Spying from space: How satellites can help identify and rein in a potent climate pollutant, 7 August 2024
Wikipedia
Global methane emissions monitoring
MethaneSAT
Environmental Defense Fund
