b"Volume #3 / 2024 39the European Space Agency to help monitor carbon dioxide and methane emissions as part of the EUs Copernicus programme. Methane inThe Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring(CO2M) satellites will carry a near-infraredglobal numbersand shortwave-infrared spectrometer to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane at highThe energy sector - oil, natural spatial resolution. The observations will be combinedgas, coal and bioenergy - with ground-based measurements and modelling toaccounts for more than 30% of understand human-made emissions compared to thosemethane emissions from human from natural sources. activity.CO2M will be operated by the European operationalAgriculture and livestock satellite agency for monitoring weather, climate and theproduce roughly 32% of methane environment (EUMETSAT). What makes it pivotal, isemissions.that it will provide a unique and independent informa- Solid waste produces 12% of tion source to assess the effectiveness of climate policy measures. Nations throughout the world will be able tomethane emissions with food assess and compare how they are meeting their targetswaste as the main culprit.with transparent data. Methane has a warming effect EUMETSAT will operate the CO2M satellites andover 80 times greater than receive, process and disseminate their data, which willcarbon dioxide over a 20-year be crucial for monitoring carbon emission reductiontimeframe, which means action efforts globally, in line with the Paris Agreement, saysto cut emissions now can unlock Dr Phil Evans, EUMETSAT Director-General. significant near-term benefits for Meanwhile, the MethaneSAT mission, run by theclimate action.Environmental Defense Fund, is already in orbitMethane is responsible for around combining different types of monitoring: broad over- 30% of total warming since the views and close-ups on problem areas. The satellite isindustrial revolution and is the revolutionary, both from a technological perspectivesecond largest contributor to but also because the data will show emissions over timeglobal warming after CO2.and be freely available.It is the most advanced [methane-tracking satellite]Cutting methane emissions from now in operation because it has a 200 kilometres widefossil fuels by 75% before 2030 is view and then it also has a high resolution to see smallvital to limit warming to 1.5C.point sources as well, says Sollazzo. Over 75% of methane emissions It bridges the gap that there is at the moment. Whatfrom oil and gas operations and it also does is that it basically continuously monitors50% of emissions from coal emissions from up to 80% of the global oil and gastoday can be abated with existing technology.35% of oil and gas emissions and 10% of coal mine emissions could If you don't know where thebe avoided at no cost.Source: International Energy Agency, Global emissions come from, then youMethane Forum 2024, C40 Knowledge Hubcannot do anything about them.Jutta Paulus, MEP, Germany"