104 Countries promise to cut Methane Emissions: What is the Global Methane Pledge about?

At the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (CoP26) as many as 104 countries have promised to cut their methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030.

Anaerobic digestion uses methane emitting waste products as feedstock, resulting in a production process of energy transition which approaches the methane climate change problem on two fronts.

While the initial initiative was announced by the United States and European Union on September 2021 only had nine signatory countries, the CoP26 announce of an expansion to 104 countries give the pledge greater traction for acceptance and application.

What is the agreement?

Both developed and developing countries are a part of this global pledge, which is not a structured agreement.

“Methane is a leading cause of climate change and stopping methane leaks and reducing emissions faster is imperative,” said Michael R Bloomberg, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for climate ambition and solutions and founder, Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies during a Cop26 announcement.

From the finance sector, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and the Green Climate Fund have also agreed to provide technical and financial support for associated projects.

How will the project help?

“Warming could be reduced by at least 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2050, if countries deliver according to the pledge. We need big structural changes, yes, to reach 2050 climate neutrality. But we cannot wait for 2050,” said EU President von der Leyen during her speech at the launch of the pledge.

Methane warms the planet 86 times as much as CO2, according to IPCC. “So, cutting back on methane emissions is one of the most effective things we can do to reduce near-term global warming and keep 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is the lowest-hanging fruit,” said Von Der Leyen.

As much as 45 per cent reduction in human-caused methane emissions by 2030 would put the world on a path to achieving the Paris Agreement Goal to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C this century.

What does this mean for Sprouter Energy?

The majority of feedstock used in anaerobic digestion comes from methane emitting waste, such as animal manure, food waste and other organic materials which during decomposition becomes a methane emitter. Most of these sources will not be eliminated from the methane emission cycle for decade if at all. The only option is to convert the waste before it is damaging to the environment.

This is a double win for the environment. By using methane emitting waste materials as feedstock inhibits the methane from reaching the atmosphere thus helping to reduce global warming, while at the same time green renewable energy is created helping to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. A truly Carbon-Negative process and an example of the circular economy.

Transitioning to renewable zero-emission energy