Methane is an especially potent greenhouse gas that traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide. While there is currently less methane than carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere by human activity, the rate at which methane is emitted has increased more quickly.

Large quantities of methane are created by decomposing plants and animals trapped underground in the Arctic. As the atmosphere warms and Arctic permafrost melts, we risk triggering a feedback loop:trapped methane is released, causing further global heating and more melting that releases more methane. On top of this, around 70 megatons of methane are leaked from oil and gas projects annually.

Methane removal relates to attempts to reduce the amount of methane in the atmosphere. One example is the use of porous minerals called zeolites to filter methane and convert it to carbon dioxide, not fully removing it but decreasing its warming impact. It could potentially also be converted into ethanol fuel. 

Methane removal lags far behind carbon dioxide removal, though solutions that cut down methane emissions at the source do exist. Another challenge is that methane concentrations, despite their impact on global heating, are so chemically low that capturing it directly is difficult and energy intensive. More funding for research and development could help improve these technologies.

During the Emissions stage, before adding your Carbon cubes to the Recent Emissions area, discard 2 cards from your hand. Remove 1 Carbon cube from your Emissions per Innovation tag in this card's stack.
You may take this action once per round.

• How Methane Emissions Contribute to Climate Change (World Resources Institute, WRI)

• Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations (Systems Change Lab)

• Why capturing methane is so difficult (Scientific American)

• 3 Charts Explain One of the Most Overlooked Opportunities to Address Climate Change and Poverty (World Resources Institute, WRI)

• Advocate for composting services and food waste reduction initiatives in your neighborhood.

• Ask your political representatives to phase out subsidies for meat producers and support initiatives to encourage healthy, plant-based diets.

• Advocate for methane regulations on oil and gas operations and for cleaning up methane leaks with your elected representatives.