The Global Methane Pledge.

After all the excitement of COP26 it’s now time for countries to knuckle down and deliver on their commitments. 

Over 100 countries signed The Global Methane Pledge, committing to reduce Methane emissions by 30% by 2030 (compared to 2020 levels). When we talk about emissions we often focus on Carbon Dioxide, but Methane is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas. Yet, compared to Carbon Dioxide, Methane is short-lived, reductions could have a significant and rapid effect on near-term global warming. 

Approximately 32% of human-caused methane emissions are from livestock and 60% of the emissions from milk production are released when cows burp! Whilst it is widely agreed that we need to reduce the amount of diary and meat we consume, there are some surprisingly simple solutions to manage bovine wind. Adding just 85 grams of seaweed a day to cow’s feed cuts methane production by more than 80%. More research is needed to assess the potential risks of adding seaweed to feed and how this could be produced at scale but the potential is very exciting. 

Reducing methane is not a substitute for reducing carbon dioxide, but it may buy us some time to make the systematic changes we need to reduce all our emissions. 

At TerraVerde once we have carefully measured our client’s emissions, we work with them to identify the ‘quick wins’, the simple changes that will achieve the biggest impact. Seaweed added to animal feed could prove to be a quick win for the farming industry and countries keen to reduce their methane emissions. 

Sources:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2295810-cop26-105-countries-pledge-to-cut-methane-emissions-by-30-per-cent/amp/

https://www.dsm.com/corporate/markets/animal-feed/minimizing-methane-from-cattle.html

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/30/cow-methane-emissions-reduce-seaweed-kowbucha