Methane: Policy for a greenhouse gas

Methane: Policy for a greenhouse gas

• News
• January 11, 2025

Methane: Policy for a greenhouse gas

American Chemical Society
August 17-21, 2025
Washington, DC

The global market value of methane (natural gas) is projected to be $120 billion in 2025 and grow 5-10 % per year. Use of coal, oil, and gas contribute 120 million tons (Mt) of methane emission into the atmosphere. The United States is the largest emitter of methane (10%) and closely followed by the Russian Federation. In terms of contribution to the greenhouse gas inventory, methane is second, between carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, and accounts for about 1/3 of the global warming since the industrial revolution. The atmospheric concentration of methane is increasing faster than at any time since record keeping began in the 1980s, but its savior is a mean atmospheric lifetime of about ten years. Methane won’t disappear from the market anytime soon, but control of emission is a near-term opportunity to mitigate Earth’s atmospheric warming. This symposium includes methane sources and sinks, measurement, control, and use technology, climate modeling, regulatory impacts, and market supply and demand.

ENFL

GEOC