Role of Microbes in Mediating Methane Emissions

Abstract

This report is based on the deliberations of experts who participated in a colloquium on 31 May and 1 June 2023, organized by the American Academy of Microbiology, the honorific leadership group and think tank within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), and the American Geophysical Union (AGU). These experts came from diverse disciplines and sectors to articulate opportunities to use microbes to mitigate CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from four main sources: enteric fermentation in ruminants, animal wastes, rice paddies, and landfills. The participants highlighted knowledge gaps and potential strategies that harness microbial processes to mediate global warming and address climate change. The report states the recommendations of the colloquium participants for the scientific community as the next step to further our understanding of these topics.