(Press-News.org) Methane, a greenhouse gas known to do about 80 times more damage to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, is often overlooked by policymakers and governments. In a review publishing in the journal One Earth on May 19, researchers analyzed the coverage, stringency, and real-world impact of current global methane emissions policies for the first time. They found that only 13% of emissions are currently covered by direct mitigation policies.
In order to limit climate warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in accordance with the Paris Agreement, global methane emissions need to be cut by at least 40%–45%, according to the 2021 Global Methane Assessment—a feat that the authors assert can be accomplished if governments adopt stricter methane policies and measure emissions more accurately.
“The need for comprehensive and targeted methane mitigation strategies is highlighted by a growing body of literature. But methane emissions are increasing faster than at any time since the 1980s,” write environmental policy experts Maria Olczak, Andris Piebalgs, and Paul Balcombe of the Queen Mary University of London/Environmental Defense Fund Europe, the European University Institute’s Florence School of Regulation, and the Queen Mary University of London, respectively.
To determine how effective current methane emissions restrictions are, the team reviewed 281 policies across the highest methane-producing sectors, including energy, waste, and agriculture. They found that the number of methane policies varies dramatically between regions and that the policies currently in place are not stringent enough, largely because they were created based on inaccurate data. Often, the methane emissions estimates used by policymakers come from underreported greenhouse gas estimates, datasets that are not open to the public, or figures that vary substantially depending on the method used to measure the amount of methane.
“A consistent approach for accurate identification, quantification, and verification of methane emissions sources alongside greater policy coverage and stringency must be put into place to realize the significant methane emissions reduction opportunities,” write the researchers.
Mitigating man-made methane emissions is one of the cheapest ways to slow down climate change and improve air quality, according to the Global Methane Assessment. However, the authors argue, progress will depend on a global, unified effort to limit methane emissions, and quick action needs to be taken on both a national and a regional level in order to meet climate goals.
“Effective methane mitigation requires stronger social support and political consensus. Yet, methane reduction is still perceived as a choice rather than a necessity complementing the ongoing decarbonization efforts focused largely on CO2,” the researchers write. “The upcoming climate conference COP28 in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), when collective progress towards the Paris Agreement objectives will be assessed for the first time, offers an enormous opportunity for change.”
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One Earth, Olczak et al. “A global review of methane policies reveals only 13% of emissions are covered with unclear effectiveness” https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(23)00195-1
One Earth (@OneEarth_CP), published by Cell Press, is a monthly journal that features papers from the fields of natural, social, and applied sciences. One Earth is the home for high-quality research that seeks to understand and address today’s environmental Grand Challenges, publishing across the spectrum of environmental change and sustainability science. A sister journal to Cell, Chem, and Joule, One Earth aspires to break down barriers between disciplines and stimulate the cross-pollination of ideas with a platform that unites communities, fosters dialogue, and encourages transformative research. Visit http://www.cell.com/one-earth. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com.
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New research from Queen Mary University of London shows that only around 13% of global methane emissions are regulated, despite methane emissions causing at least 25% of current global warming.
The global review, published on 19 May in One Earth, also found that little is known about the effectiveness of the policies that exist, with potentially unrepresentative methane emission estimations used rather than actual measurements. Inaccurate estimations can also mean the issue is taken less seriously by decision-makers by masking its severity.
The researchers argue that the lack ...
(Philadelphia, PA) – Genetic alterations that give rise to a rare, fatal disorder known as MOGS-CDG paradoxically also protect cells against infection by viruses. Now, scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University have harnessed this unusual protective ability in a novel gene-editing strategy aimed at eliminating HIV-1 infection with no adverse effects on cell mortality.
The new approach, described online April 28 in the journal Molecular Therapy – Nucleic Acids, is based on a combination of two gene-editing constructs, one that ...
About The Study: This survey study found that although there has been substantial policy attention around incentivizing COVID-19 vaccination, fewer than 1 in 10 vaccinated individuals in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults reported receiving an incentive. Most vaccinated respondents reported that an incentive did not make a difference in their decision-making to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Authors: Laura J. Faherty, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.H.P., of the RAND Corporation in Boston, is the corresponding author.
To access the ...
About The Study: In this decision analytical model, increased uptake of bivalent booster vaccination among eligible age groups was associated with decreased hospitalizations and school absenteeism in the pediatric population. These findings suggest that although COVID-19 prevention strategies often focus on older populations, the benefits of booster campaigns for children may be substantial.
Authors: Alison P. Galvani, Ph.D., of the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, is the corresponding author.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this ...
About The Study: In this case-control surveillance study of more than 100,000 pregnancies, COVID-19 booster vaccination in pregnancy was not associated with spontaneous abortion. These findings support the safety of recommendations for COVID-19 booster vaccination, including in pregnant populations.
Authors: Elyse O. Kharbanda, M.D., M.P.H., of HealthPartners Institute in Minneapolis, is the corresponding author.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.14350)
Editor’s ...
HealthPartners Institute researchers have published new data in JAMA Network Open that shows monovalent COVID-19 booster vaccinations administered in early pregnancy (before 20 weeks’ gestation) were not associated with miscarriage. The research adds to the growing understanding about the safety of COVID-19 booster vaccinations among people who are pregnant.
The researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 pregnancies between six and 19 weeks’ gestation from eight large health systems participating in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). The data was collected between Nov. ...
Biophysicists have designed a new cell-like transport system that represents an important milestone on the road to artificial cells.
Creating artificial cells with life-like characteristics out of a minimal set of components is a major goal of synthetic biology. Autonomous motion is a key capability here, and one that is difficult to reproduce in the test tube. A team led by physicist Erwin Frey, Professor of Statistical and Biological Physics at LMU, and Petra Schwille from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, has now made ...
Every year, more than 40,000 women die of ovarian cancer in Europe. Ovarian cancer is a genetically very heterogeneous disease, which makes it exceptionally difficult to study and treat. The prognosis is particularly poor in ovarian high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), a subtype of ovarian cancer. Less than 40% of patients with this subtype survive five years after their diagnosis.
The researchers were able to classify HGSC tumours into three groups on the basis of genomic changes. The groups differ in the intracellular signalling pathways, the ways in which the tumours grow, and response ...
The Collaborative Research Centre, to be known as HYP*MOL, will bring together 29 professors and early career researchers from both universities, as well as other external research partners, to study electron and nuclear spin hyperpolarization in molecular systems.
“This funding is both a cause for celebration and a great incentive for everyone involved,” says Professor Eva Inés Obergfell, Rector of Leipzig University. “Hyperpolarization is an exciting and rapidly evolving field of research. I believe that our research team will contribute new insights that will be appreciated at an international level.” Leipzig University is now involved ...
The never-ending demand for carbon-rich fuels to drive the economy keeps adding more and more carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. While efforts are being made to reduce CO2 emissions, that alone cannot counter the adverse effects of the gas already present in the atmosphere. So, scientists have come up with innovative ways to use existing atmospheric CO2 by transforming it into useful chemicals such as formic acid (HCOOH) and methanol. A popular method for carrying out such conversions is to use visible ...
