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www.methanetomarkets.org 1 March 2008 

Questions and Answers
 

WHAT IS METHANE? 

Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of 

natural gas. It is also a “greenhouse gas,” or GHG, meaning 

that its presence in the atmosphere affects the earth’s 

temperature and climate system. Methane is the second most 

prevalent human-induced GHG next to carbon dioxide (CO2). 

WHY IS THERE CONCERN ABOUT METHANE EMISSIONS? 

Methane is a GHG that is 23 times more potent than carbon 

dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Over the last two 

centuries, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have 

more than doubled, largely due to human-related activities. 

Methane now accounts for 16 percent of global GHG emissions 

from human activities. 

WHERE DOES METHANE COME FROM? 

Methane is emitted from a variety of both anthropogenic 

(human-induced) and natural sources. Anthropogenic 

emission sources include agriculture, coal mines, landfills, 

and natural gas and oil systems. About 60 percent of global 

methane emissions come from these sources. 

WHO ARE THE BIGGEST METHANE EMITTERS? 

Globally, China, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, India, the United 

States, and Brazil are estimated to be responsible for almost 

half of all anthropogenic methane emissions. The major 

methane emission sources in these countries vary greatly. For 

example, a key source of methane emissions in China is coal 

production, whereas Russia emits most of its methane from 

natural gas and oil systems. Landfills are the largest source of 

U.S. methane emissions. 

WHY CONCENTRATE ON ACTIONS TO CAPTURE AND USE 

METHANE AS AN ENERGY SOURCE? 

Reducing methane emissions has many important energy, 

safety, economic, and environmental benefits. First, because 

methane is a potent GHG and has a short atmospheric lifetime, 

methane reductions can produce significant near-term results. 

In addition, methane is the primary constituent of natural gas. 

Therefore, the collection and utilization of methane provides a 

valuable, clean-burning energy source that improves quality of 

life in local communities and can generate revenue and 

improve living standards. 

Producing energy from recovered methane can also replace 

higher emitting energy resources such as wood, coal or oil. 

This can reduce end user and power plant emissions of carbon 

dioxide and air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (a major contributor to acid rain), particulate matter (a respiratory health 

concern), and trace amounts of hazardous air pollutants. 

WHY AREN’T EFFORTS TO CAPTURE AND PROFITABLY 

USE METHANE EMISSIONS MORE WIDESPREAD? 

Even with the multiple benefits of methane recovery, these 

projects are not widespread for several reasons. First, 

methane is generally a secondary issue in the industrial 

processes from which it is emitted. Coal mine operators, for 

example, generally vent methane from the mine workings 

because it is explosive, and mining companies have historically not viewed methane as an energy resource in its own right. 

Second, those responsible for the emissions may not be familiar with the technologies available for methane recovery or the 

potential for profitable projects. Increased information 

exchange and technical training often helps generate support 

for methane recovery projects. Finally, poorly functioning energy markets and financially insolvent utilities and municipalities 

in many countries fail to provide the private sector with a business environment that is conducive to investment in projects 

to capture and use methane. 

WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THE METHANE TO MARKETS 

PARTNERSHIP? 

The Methane to Markets Partnership is an action-oriented 

initiative, the goal of which is to reduce global methane 

emissions, enhance economic growth, promote energy 

security, improve the environment, and reduce greenhouse 

gas emissions. The initiative focuses on cost-effective, nearterm methane recovery and use as a clean energy source. The 

Partnership provides a forum for collaboration between 

developed countries, developing countries, and countries with 

economies in transition—together with strong participation 

Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100% postconsumer, process chlorine free recycled paper. 
from the private sector. The Methane to Markets Partnership 

targets four major methane sources for action: animal waste 

management, coal mines, landfills, and natural gas and oil 

systems. 

WHICH COUNTRIES ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE METHANE 

TO MARKETS PARTNERSHIP? 

To date, 24 Partner countries have joined Methane to Markets. 

These include: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, 

Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, 

Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, the Republic 

of Korea, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the 

United States, and Vietnam. The European Commission also 

participates as a Partner. It is expected that other countries 

with an interest in promoting methane capture and use projects will join the Partnership in the future. 

WHAT COMMITMENTS DO COUNTRIES MAKE THAT ARE 

PARTICIPATING IN THIS INITIATIVE? 

Participating countries have signed the Terms of Reference 

document that outlines the purpose, organization, and 

functions of the Partnership. This document also outlines 

more specific activities to be undertaken by the Partnership: 

•	 Identify and promote areas of bilateral, multilateral, and 

private sector collaboration on methane recovery and use 

initially in the areas of animal waste management, coal 

mining, landfills, and oil and natural gas systems 

•	 Identify cost-effective opportunities to recover methane
 

emissions for energy production and potential financing
 

mechanisms to encourage investment
 

•	 Identify and address barriers to project development
 

and improve the legal, regulatory, financial, institutional,
 

technological, and other conditions necessary to attract
 

investment in methane recovery and utilization projects
 

•	 Foster cooperation with the private sector, research
 

organizations, development banks, and other relevant
 

governmental and non-governmental organizations
 

•	 Support the identification and deployment of best 

management practices in the recovery and use of methane 

•	 Improve scientific understanding and certainty in relation 

to the recovery and use of methane 

•	 Develop collaborative action plans outlining a series of 

In addition, developed country Partners assist developing 

countries and countries with economies in transition in 

expanding methane recovery projects through cooperative 

technical assistance and technology deployment. 

CAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL 

ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATE IN THE METHANE TO 

MARKETS PARTNERSHIP? 

Active involvement by private sector entities, financial 

institutions, and other non-governmental organizations is 

considered essential to build capacity, transfer technology, 

and promote investment that will ensure the Partnership’s 

success. The Project Network is the mechanism to facilitate 

this involvement, enhance communication, and identify and 

implement collaborative project development opportunities. 

Any organization interested in the Partnership can join the 

Project Network by submitting a completed Project Network 

Membership Agreement to the Administrative Support Group or 

signing up online at www.methanetomarkets.org. 

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED BENEFITS OF THE METHANE TO 

MARKETS PARTNERSHIP? 

The Partnership has the potential to deliver, by 2015, annual 

reductions in methane emissions of more than 180 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2E) or recovery of 

500 billion cubic feet of natural gas. If achieved, these reductions could lead to stabilized or even declining levels of global 

atmospheric concentrations of methane. To give a sense of 

scale, this would be equivalent to: 

•	 Annual emissions from 33 million cars, planting 55 million
 

acres of trees, or eliminating emissions from fifty 500­

megawatt coal-fired power plants; or
 

•	 Providing enough energy to heat approximately 7.2 million 

households for one year 

For additional information, please visit the 

Methane to Markets Partnership Web site at 

www.methanetomarkets.org or contact the 

Administrative Support Group. 

Administrative Support Group 

Methane to Markets Partnership 

www.methanetomarkets.org 2 March 2008 

concrete activities and actions that directly support the 

core goals and functions of the Partnership 

• Develop and implement a process for evaluating progress 

and reporting results 

Tel: +1-202-343-9683 

Fax: +1-202-343-2202 

E-mail: ASG@methanetomarkets.org 

Printing was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its capacity as the Administrative Support Group for the Methane to Markets Partnership.