New Delhi [India], March 6 : A satellite, MethaneSAT, has been launched into orbit with the mission to detect and measure methane emissions from oil and gas production sites, in a move to combat climate change.
According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, developed by a consortium of leading institutions and organizations, including the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), MethaneSAT promises to revolutionize efforts to identify and address large emitters of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
MethaneSAT, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, will orbit the Earth 15 times a day, capable of detecting changes in methane concentrations as minute as three parts per billion.
This capability, as described by Steven Hamburg, EDF's chief scientist and MethaneSAT project leader, empowers the satellite to pinpoint both large and diffuse sources of methane emissions, providing crucial insights into emission patterns and trends.
"MethaneSAT's superpower is the ability to precisely measure methane levels with high resolution over wide areas, including smaller, diffuse sources that account for most emissions in many regions," Hamburg emphasized. "Knowing how much methane is coming from where and how the rates are changing is essential."
The urgency of addressing methane emissions cannot be overstated.
Methane, a significantly more potent climate pollutant than carbon dioxide, holds the capacity to exacerbate global warming at an alarming rate, with estimates suggesting it is more than 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year timeframe.
The energy sector, encompassing oil, natural gas, coal, and bioenergy, contributes nearly 40 per cent of human-related methane emissions, underscoring the critical need for targeted action.
MethaneSAT represents a collaborative effort among a diverse array of stakeholders, including leading universities, philanthropic organizations, and governmental agencies.
Partners such as the Bezos Earth Fund, Arnold Ventures, New Zealand Space Agency, Harvard University, BAE Systems, and IO Aerospace have contributed to the development and deployment of this groundbreaking satellite, highlighting the collective commitment to combatting climate change.
The data collected by MethaneSAT will not only aid companies and regulators in tracking emissions but will also empower stakeholders, including citizens, governments, investors, and gas importers, with free, near-real-time access to critical information.
By providing unprecedented transparency and accountability, MethaneSAT aims to facilitate informed decision-making and accelerate progress towards emission reduction goals and obligations.
MethaneSAT's launch comes on the heels of significant commitments made by the oil and natural gas industry to reduce carbon and methane emissions.
At the 28th UN Climate Change Conference, held in Dubai, 50 companies pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and to drastically reduce methane emissions by 2030.
MethaneSAT will play a pivotal role in monitoring compliance with these pledges, ensuring accountability through technology and data-driven analysis.
The agreement forged at COP28 underscores the importance of collaborative initiatives focused on decarbonization, with a particular emphasis on the fossil fuel sector and methane emissions reduction.
As part of the Global Decarbonization Accelerator, MethaneSAT joins efforts aimed at transforming energy systems, promoting renewable energy sources, and advancing sustainable practices across industries.
As MethaneSAT embarks on its mission to unveil major polluters and track methane emissions with unprecedented precision, it heralds a new era of accountability and transparency in the fight against climate change.
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