UN targets methane emissions with satellite detection

MARS (Methane Alert and Response System) has been set up in response to the growing threat of methane emissions, which are believed to be responsible for around a quarter of Earth’s anthropogenic warming to date. Under the Global Methane Pledge, methane emissions must be cut by 30 per cent by 2030 to retain any chance of keeping the 1.5°C Paris target alive. The MARS platform has been established by the United Nation’s Environmental Programme (UNEP) in an effort to achieve that goal.

“Cutting methane is the fastest opportunity to reduce warming and keep 1.5°C within reach, and this new alert and response system is going to be a critical tool for helping all of us deliver on the Global Methane Pledge,” said John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for Climate.

While methane is much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, it remains in the atmosphere for a significantly shorter time, having a sharp, pronounced warming effect. This means that tackling methane emissions can have an outsized impact on the global heating Earth is currently experiencing.