Context: A new United Nations report has said that human-caused methane emissions must be cut by 45 per cent to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

• Such a cut would prevent a rise in global warming by up to 0.3 degrees Celsius by 2045.
• It would also prevent 260,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits annually, as well as 25 million tonnes of crop losses.

Key highlights of the UN report

• Human-caused methane emissions are increasing faster currently than at any other time since record keeping began in the 1980s.
• Carbon dioxide levels have dropped during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, methane in the atmosphere reached record levels last year.
• The report said this was a cause of concern as methane was an extremely powerful greenhouse gas. It was responsible for about 30 per cent of warming since pre-industrial times.
• However, cutting methane emissions can rapidly reduce the rate of warming in the near-term as the gas broke down quickly.

Recommendations given by the report

Three behavioural change could reduce methane emissions by 65–80 million tonnes per year over the next few decades

• Reducing food waste and loss
• Improving livestock management
• Adopting healthy diets (vegetarian or with a lower meat and dairy content)

The most human-caused methane emissions came from three sectors: Fossil fuels, waste and agriculture.

• Oil and gas extraction, processing and distribution accounted for 23 per cent of methane emissions in the fossil fuel sector.
• Coal mining accounted for 12 per cent of emissions.
• Landfills and wastewater made up about 20 per cent of emissions in the waste sector. 
• In the agricultural sector, livestock emissions from manure and enteric fermentation constituted for roughly 32 per cent and rice cultivation eight per cent of emissions.
• The assessment found that the mitigation potential varied between countries and regions. Europe had the greatest potential to curb methane emissions from farming, fossil fuel operations and waste management.
• India had the greatest potential to reduce methane emissions in the waste sector.
• China’s mitigation potential was best in coal production and livestock.
• Africa’s was in livestock, followed by oil and gas.
• The report said the fossil fuel industry had the greatest potential for low-cost methane cuts.

According to the report, up to 80 per cent of measures in the oil and gas industry could be implemented at negative or low cost.

• About 60 per cent of methane cuts in this sector could make money as reducing leaks would make more gas available for sale, the report said.
• The waste sector could cut its methane emissions by improving the disposal of sewage around the world.