Satellites will play a vital role in helping countries reduce methane emissions!

Satellites will play a vital role in helping countries worldwide reduce methane emissions. This will align with a global pledge introduced by European Union leaders and the current US President at COP26. On November 2, the pledge was unravelled, and more than 100 countries have already signed it worldwide. The leaders have focused on methane, and it contributes to global warming.

Methane accounts for only about 16% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but it is 80 times more effective in warming the climate than carbon dioxide. The methane pledge challenges countries to cut gas emissions by 30% by the end of this decade. At least a quarter of the current global warming is caused by methane. In reducing the emission, what is needed is the better monitoring and identification of emission sources.

In the COP26, experts have discussed how satellites can help the world handle emissions better and identify significant polluters. At present, nations based on the activity of their various polluting industries inventory their emissions. This process usually involves significant delays and provides little input for actionable insights. According to experts, in satellite technology, there is a vast untapped potential when it comes to monitoring methane emissions.

At present, three spacecraft is being operated by Canadian satellite company GHGSat filled with sensors capable of detecting individual sources of methane. To keep an eye on significant methane leaks other operators also plan to launch constellations. European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation program announced a new greenhouse monitoring constellations on November 2, developed together with the European Space Agency. The constellation, part of a program called European CO2 Monitoring and Verification Support Capacity, will detect sources of methane and carbon dioxide.

A new constellation is in development that aims to help solve the methane problem and is being developed by the US earth observation company Planet. The constellation, dubbed Carbon Mapper, is developed in a partnership with other research institutes and organizations. The partnership includes the State of California as part of a new nonprofit organization, Arizona State University, and NASA JPL. The NASA JPL and Planet is building their 1st two prototype satellites and, in 2023, are expected to launch. The constellation, once fully operational, will provide revisits of all points on Earth.

The COP26 climate change conference intends to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement inspire countries to strengthen their greenhouse gas reduction targets. The conference is taking place in the Scottish city of Glasgow from November 1 to November 12. But the current commitments are not sufficient enough to meet the goal. According to the recently released report by UNEP, by the end of this century, the world is currently on track to see global temperatures jump by 2.7 degrees Celsius.

Humans are already facing the effects of climate change. Now extreme weather events have become normal. This year witnessed a range of disastrous events worldwide. It is being observed by the satellites that ice sheets melt at unprecedented rates because polar regions are warming up faster than other parts of the world. Record-breaking heat waves leading to devastating wildfires can also be seen.