As part of global efforts to slow climate change by tackling methane, the UN has announced a new satellite-based system to detect emissions of the climate warming gas and allow governments and businesses to respond.
The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS), launched at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27), is a data-to-action platform set up as part of the UNEP International Methane Emissions Observatory strategy to get policy-relevant data into the right hands for emissions mitigation.
Methane contributes to at least a quarter of today’s climate warming. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world must cut methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 – the goal of the Global Methane Pledge – to keep the 1.5°C temperature limit within reach.
Developed in the framework of the Global Methane Pledge Energy Pathway – with initial funding from the European Commission, the US Government, Global Methane Hub, and the Bezos Earth Fund, MARS will allow UNEP to corroborate emissions reported by companies and characterise changes over time.
MARS will be implemented with partners, including the International Energy Agency, and the UNEP-hosted Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
“As UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report showed before this climate summit, the world is far off track on efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C,” Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director said.
“Reducing methane emissions can make a big and rapid difference, as this gas leaves the atmosphere far quicker than carbon dioxide. The Methane Alert and Response System is a big step in helping governments and companies deliver on this important short-term climate goal.”
MARS will be the first publicly available global system capable of transparently connecting methane detection to notification processes. It will use state-of-the-art satellite data to identify major emission events, notify relevant stakeholders, and support and track mitigation progress. It will integrate data from the rapidly expanding system of methane-detecting satellites to include lower-emitting area sources and more frequent detection.
MARS will use data from global mapping satellites to identify very large methane plumes and methane hot spots and data from high-resolution satellites to then attribute the emissions to a specific source. UNEP will then notify governments and companies about the emissions, either directly or through partners, so that the responsible entity can take appropriate action.
Data on coal, waste, livestock and rice will be added gradually to MARS to support the Global Methane Pledge implementation.
If requested, MARS partners will provide technical or advisory services such as help in assessing mitigation opportunities.
