Methane emissions ( UPSC Prelims)

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News Context

The Global Methane Status Report 2025, published by UNEP in collaboration with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), revealed that the atmospheric concentrations of methane had more than doubled compared to pre-industrial levels by the year 2020.

About CCAC

CCAC was established in 2012 and operates under the UNEP framework. It is a voluntary coalition comprising over 160 governments, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs. India became a member of CCAC in 2019. The coalition focuses on mitigating potent yet short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and tropospheric ozone, which contribute to both climate change and air pollution.

About Methane as a GHG

Atmospheric methane ranks as the second largest contributor to climate change, following carbon dioxide, and accounts for approximately one-third of the Earth's warming. It is more than 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period, although it remains in the atmosphere for a shorter duration, typically 7-12 years.
 Major Sources:
  ● 60% of methane emissions stem from human activities, with agriculture, fossil fuels, and landfill waste being the primary contributors.  
      ○ Around 40% of emissions originate from natural processes, with wetlands being the largest source.
      ○ Additional sources include glacial fracking.
 India ranks as the world's third-largest methane emitter, mainly due to stubble burning, following China and the United States.