Tackling the Methane Challenge: Critical Moves to Cool the Planet

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Methane CH4.
Methane CH4. Credit: Christinelmiller, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Methane (CH4) is a potent but often overlooked contributor to climate change that needs mitigation.

A new study, “The Methane Imperative,” published in Frontiers in Science, shifts the spotlight from CO2 to methane (CH4), a potent but often overlooked contributor to climate change.

The Growing Threat of Methane

Methane emissions have been rising sharply, particularly since 2006, driven predominantly by activities in wetlands and the fossil fuel industry. The study emphasizes that methane is responsible for nearly as much global warming as CO2, making its control crucial for limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C or 2°C. If unchecked, rising methane levels threaten to undermine efforts to reach net-zero carbon targets, underscoring the urgency for immediate action.

Cost-effective Mitigation Strategies

The research highlights several methane mitigation strategies that are not only effective but also economically viable. By comparing the costs of these strategies with the financial damages caused by methane-related warming, the study makes a compelling case for robust, legally binding regulations to promote their adoption. These strategies include:

  • Implement Strong Regulations: Enforce legally binding measures to ensure that methane reduction targets are met.

  • Introduce Methane Pricing: Establish mechanisms that reflect the environmental cost of methane emissions, incentivizing reductions.

  • Expand Technological Solutions: Invest in advanced technologies to capture and convert methane, particularly in the oil, gas, and waste sectors.

  • Enhance Monitoring Systems: Use satellite and ground-based tools to track methane emissions accurately and identify major emission sources.

  • Promote Sector-Specific Policies: Develop policies tailored to the primary methane sources in each sector, ensuring efficient mitigation.

  • Encourage International Collaboration: Foster global partnerships to share technologies, best practices, and resources for methane mitigation.

  • Educate Stakeholders: Raise awareness among governments, businesses, and the public about methane’s role in climate change and the benefits of its reduction.

Methane and CO2 Reduction: An Interconnected Approach

One of the key insights from the study is the interconnectedness of methane and CO2 reduction efforts. Strategies that target methane emissions can significantly aid in achieving net-zero CO2 goals through mechanisms like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and afforestation. However, these strategies often require extensive land use, which could be optimized by reducing methane emissions from agricultural sources, particularly livestock.

Health and Economic Benefits of Methane Reduction

Reducing methane emissions not only helps mitigate global warming but also offers considerable health benefits. The study points out that lowering methane levels can significantly reduce surface ozone pollution, which affects respiratory health and crop yields. Furthermore, the economic benefits of addressing methane emissions include avoiding substantial costs associated with climate-related damages, enhancing the overall cost-effectiveness of methane reduction strategies.

Global and National Actions

“The Methane Imperative” calls for global cooperation and the implementation of national policies tailored to specific methane sources. These policies should be designed to leverage the unique economic and environmental contexts of each country, ensuring that methane reduction efforts are both effective and sustainable.

Summing Up

Methane may be less discussed than CO2, but its impact on global warming is substantial and undeniable. As the study suggests, targeted methane reduction is an essential component of the broader climate mitigation agenda. By adopting comprehensive strategies that address both CO2 and methane, the world can make significant strides towards the ambitious but crucial goal of limiting global warming.

Source: Shindell, D., Sadavarte, P., Aben, I., Bredariol, T. d. O., Dreyfus, G., Höglund-Isaksson, L., … & Maasakkers, J. D. (2024). The methane imperative. Frontiers in Science, 2, 1349770.

How Upland Trees Combat Methane Emissions

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Footpath though Epping Forest, in Epping Upland, Essex. Credit: geograph.org.uk.
Footpath though Epping Forest, in Epping Upland, Essex. Credit: geograph.org.uk.


A new study, “Global Atmospheric Methane Uptake by Upland Tree Woody Surfaces,” reveals a previously under-appreciated ally in our environmental arsenal: upland trees. Known for their ability to sequester carbon dioxide, trees are now also recognized for their significant role in absorbing atmospheric methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This new understanding helps our approach to forest conservation and climate change mitigation.

What are Upland Trees?

Upland trees are defined as trees that thrive in well-drained soils, typically found in areas where excess water from rain can quickly drain away, preventing waterlogged conditions. Unlike their counterparts in wetlands, upland trees are not subjected to prolonged periods of standing water, which significantly influences their ecological roles and physiological functions.

The Role of Upland Trees in Methane Absorption

These Trees have a unique symbiotic relationship that enables them to absorb methane from the atmosphere than they emit. The well-drained soils acts as an enabler for the net sink of atmospheric methane. Unlike their wetland counterparts that release methane, upland trees utilize methanotrophic bacteria that live on their bark and within their tissues.

Methanotrophy: Nature’s Methane Filter

Methanotrophy, the process through which these bacteria metabolize methane, turns tree bark into an effective filter for this harmful greenhouse gas. The study notes that the higher parts of the tree, away from the methane-producing soil, exhibit a stronger uptake, suggesting that the trees’ own structure facilitates this environmental benefit.

Implications for Global Methane Budgets and Climate Strategies

The findings of this study have implications for our global methane budgets and strategies aimed at mitigating climate change. By quantifying the role of trees in methane dynamics, the research provides a piece of the puzzle in understanding the global methane cycle. This could lead to improved climate models and more effective strategies for managing forest ecosystems.

Enhancing Climate Benefits through Forest Conservation

The dual role of upland forests in sequestering carbon and absorbing methane underscores the added climate benefits of forest conservation and reforestation efforts. Protecting these ecosystems could be more beneficial than previously understood, offering a natural solution to reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Call-to-Action: Integrate the Role of Upland Trees in Methane Absorption Into Conservation Policies

This pioneering study invites policymakers, environmentalists, and the global community to rethink current strategies for climate change mitigation. Integrating the role of upland trees in methane absorption into conservation policies could enhance the effectiveness of these efforts, providing a cost-effective way to combat global warming. As we continue to uncover the multifaceted roles of forests in climate regulation, it becomes clear that preserving our natural environments is more crucial than ever.

Embracing the insights from this research could catalyze a shift in how we perceive and manage our forest resources, turning upland areas into valuable allies in the fight against climate change. With enhanced policies and a renewed focus on these ecosystems, we can harness the full potential of our forests to safeguard our planet for future generations.

Project 2025 Undermines Water Justice and Threatens Public Health

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Splash of a drop of clean water with text that reads:
Splash of a drop of clean water with text that reads: “Protect our water. Protect our environment. Vote #Harris. Vote Blue.


Project 2025 envisages a conservative restructuring of the EPA that prioritizes industrial and business interests over the need for clean water and air, putting communities at risk, especially those near industrial zones. Project 2025 undermines the agency’s ability to protect diverse communities and uphold the human right to clean water. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.

Decentralization and Reduced Federal Oversight

Earlier this year, on April 10, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration finalized the first-ever national drinking water standard to protect against PFAS, alongside announcing nearly $1 billion from the “Investing in America” agenda to combat these contaminants in public systems and private wells. This landmark initiative, benefiting around 100 million people, aims to significantly reduce illnesses and deaths associated with PFAS exposure, which have been linked to severe health problems including cancers and liver damage.

Project 2025 undermines these advances and instead create a patchwork of environmental standards. States with fewer resources or less governance resolve will fail to adequately protect water quality, which disproportionately affects vulnerable communities that rely on strong federal standards to safeguard their environment. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.

Cutting Back on Regulatory Authority

Project 2025 foretells a reduction in the breadth of the EPA’s authority to regulate, allowing polluters to operate with less scrutiny. This will lead to increased water contamination incidents, similar to the Flint water crisis, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities.

By focusing on reducing the EPA’s regulatory reach and emphasizing cost-effective solutions over comprehensive environmental protections, essential safeguards are weakened, especially those that prevent industries from polluting water sources. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.

Redefinition of Scientific and Risk Assessment Standards

    The push for open-source science and revising scientific advisory roles dilutes scientific rigor in decision-making if it is driven by political considerations rather than unbiased scientific inquiry. This results in standards that fail to adequately protect against contaminants known to harm human health. The move toward risk-based regulation overlooks long-term and cumulative impacts of exposure to pollutants. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.

    Limiting Legal Recourse

      Project 2025 reduces the EPA’s enforcement and compliance capabilities, restricting individuals and communities’ ability to hold polluters accountable through legal action. By delegating more authority to state and local levels, it weakens the uniformity and strength of enforcement across regions and diminishes the legal empowerment of affected communities to sue for enforcement and compliance. This shift erodes a key check on corporate and governmental accountability in environmental protection. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.

      Human Right to Clean Water

        Clean water is a fundamental human right recognized by the United Nations. Any weakening of water quality standards or reduction in enforcement capability jeopardizes this right, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. Effective protection of water sources is essential not just for health but for the dignity and well-being of all individuals.

        Communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income populations often face the brunt of environmental degradation and are the most affected by policies that do not prioritize robust environmental protections. Ensuring their right to clean water requires strong federal oversight and stringent, uniformly applied environmental regulations. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.

        Summing Up

        Project 2025 proposes a conservative restructuring of the EPA that places industrial and business interests ahead of the imperative for clean water and air, potentially endangering communities. Project 2025 undermines the EPA’s capacity to safeguard diverse communities and the human right to clean water by favoring economic considerations over environmental and public health protections, exacerbating existing inequalities and environmental justice issues, necessitating the maintenance of robust federal oversight and stringent environmental standards. Reject Trump. Vote Blue.