A Structured Approach for the Mitigation of Natural Methane Emissions—Lessons Learned from Anthropogenic Emissions

Abstract

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas. Natural methane emissions represent 35–50% of the global emissions budget. They are identified, measured and categorized, but, in stark contrast to anthropogenic emissions, research on their mitigation is largely absent. To explain this, 18 problems are identified and presented. This includes problems related to the emission characteristics, technological and economic challenges, as well as problems resulting from a missing framework. Consequently, strategies, methods and solutions to solve or circumvent the identified problems are proposed. The framework covers definitions for methane source categorization and for categories of emission types and mitigation approaches. Business cases for methane mitigation are discussed and promising mitigation technologies briefly assessed. The importance to get started with methane mitigation in the different areas is highlighted and avenues for doing so are presented.

Atmospheric methane removal: a research agenda

“…Methane emissions from agriculture continue to rise ( figure 1 ), driven by global increases in total and per capita meat consumption as global population and wealth grow [ 8 ]. A number of technological and behavioural changes can, and likely will, reduce methane emissions substantially [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Atmospheric removal of methane by enhancing the natural hydroxyl radical sink

“…CH 4 remediation) 12 . Scientists proposed numerous mitigation methods for CH 4 , 13–15 in different sectors such as agricultural soil 16 and animal operations 17 . But remediation proposals for CH 4 already present in the atmosphere are still scarce 18–22 .…”

Advances and Fundamental Understanding of Electrocatalytic Methane Oxidation

“…Therefore, the management of methane emissions could effectively help to stabilize the temperature and further provide climate benefits toward the atmospheric restoration into preindustrial levels of ∼750 ppb contributing to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement [1] . In this respect, potential strategies for methane control are designed [3,6] . Recently, the reduction and removal emissions approach was suggested as a feasible technology based on geophysics in which methane is captured and restored directly from the allocated anthropogenic resources such as fossil fuel‐based industries outlets, agriculture fermentation reservoirs, and biomass burning tanks [3] .…”