Methane is more potent than CO2 as a driver of climate change.
Methane is the primary constituent of natural gas, and is the simplest fossil fuel molecule. But it’s also a greenhouse gas that is significantly more powerful than the primary cause, carbon dioxide. Raw methane emissions come from many sources, from deliberate venting to process piping leakage and pipeline accidents.
Methane is also generated by oil wells as a byproduct, and in refining operations, and is commonly flared at the source, reducing methane emissions at the cost of greatly increased CO2 production. With over 150 countries signing a Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030, tracking will be essential worldwide.
A purpose-built satellite, MethaneSAT, has been launched to do just that, with the satellite a project of the Environmental Defense Fund, a global nonprofit environmental group. Team members include the Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the New Zealand Space Agency.
Data will be available, to everyone, worldwide.
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