Biden urges countries to slash methane emissions 30% – here’s why it’s crucial for protecting climate and health, and how it can pay for itself

Photo: Methane gas pumping station – Methane gas generated by the landfill is recovered, treated and piped to Tucson Electric Power where it is used to generate electricity. Photo credit: Gene Spesard via Flickr. Article by Drew Shindell. The Conversation – September 17, 2021.

The U.S. and European Union are working on a pledge to cut methane emissions by at least 30% this decade, President Joe Biden announced on Sept. 17, 2021, and he urged countries around the world to join in ahead of the U.N. climate summit later this year.

The move is a big deal for efforts to slow climate change – and also for health. While methane isn’t as abundant as carbon dioxide, it’s a far more potent greenhouse gas at warming the planet and also a source of unhealthy air pollution.

Drew Shindell, a climate scientist and physicist who led a recent U.N. report on methane, explains the urgency and how the benefits of reducing methane emissions far outweigh the costs. […]

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