During the COP27 climate meeting in the Egyptian coastal resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the UN Environment Programme introduced the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS).
Approximately 30% of the current increase in global temperatures is attributable to methane, which is released via landfills, animal husbandry, and fossil fuel installations.
Last year, dozens of nations made commitments to take action to reduce emissions from the dangerous greenhouse gas.
According to a release from the UN Environment Programme, MARS will use data from global mapping satellites to find methane “hot spots” and big plumes of the gas and determine its source.
Following that, UNEP would inform organisations and governments about the emissions “so that the accountable entity can take appropriate action.” As methane exits the atmosphere far more quickly than carbon dioxide, reducing emissions can have a significant and swift impact, according to UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
US climate envoy John Kerry said cutting methane was the “fastest opportunity” to help the world reach the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
