US9 | Methane at 250 – History, Sources, Sinks and Climate Feedbacks.
Methane at 250 – History, Sources, Sinks and Climate Feedbacks.
Convener: Euan Nisbet | Co-conveners: Thomas Röckmann, Marielle Saunois, Giuliana Panieri, Giulia Zazzeri
Thu, 07 May, 14:00–15:45 (CEST)
 
Room E1
Thu, 14:00
Methane was discovered 250 years ago, by Alessandro Volta in 1776, when he investigated ‘inflammable air’ in bubbles from Bruschera swamp, close to Lake Maggiore, Italy. Then, it was almost exclusively from natural sources. Today, anthropogenic methane from the natural gas and coal industries, ruminant and rice agriculture, landfills and sewage facilities, and from biomass burning and crop waste fires, contribute the bulk of annual global emissions.
In the 2021 Global Methane Pledge, 159 nations committed to cut anthropogenic emissions by at least 30 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030. Now in 2026, at the halfway stage, progress is limited and importantly the global methane burden is still rising rapidly.
Can mitigation of emissions save the Paris Agreement? This is very challenging but numerous viable options for emission reduction are emerging and being implemented. Energy industry emissions urgently need to be reduced, as do landfill and biodigester emissions. Agricultural emissions are large and often seen to be intractable, but many can be reduced.
This Union session will discuss methane in the natural atmosphere, and its role in anthropogenic climate change. Topics include historical evolution, major sources and key sinks, and progress and the task of mitigation, for natural gas, coal and oil sources, landfills and sewage facilities, and the wide range of agricultural emissions.
Volta, A. 1777. Sull’Aria infiammabile nativa delle paludi. Nella Stamperia Di Giuseppe Marelli, Milano.

Provisional schedule: US9 Methane at 250 – History,  Sources, Sinks and Climate Feedbacks.

A. Talks
Chair: Giuliana Panieri, Ist. Scienze Polari, CNR, Italy
1.     Introduction 
2.     Global picture: Xin Lindsay Lan, NOAA Global Monitoring Lab
3.     Global Budget: Marielle Saunois, LSCE, Université de Versailles
4.     Modelling Chemistry: Laura Stecher, Univ. Cambridge Centre for Atmospheric Sciences - Early Career
5.     Satellite observation: Sander Houweling, Vrije Univ. Amsterdam & SRON 
6.     The 2021 surge, 2023-2026 growth, and Global Methane Pledge:  Euan Nisbet, Royal Holloway

B. Discussion on Finding and Mitigating Emissions:  
Thomas Röckmann (Utrecht),  James France (EDF) and Joeri Rogelj (Imperial)

C.  Questions and Answers: panel of all speakers answering audience questions  
Chair: Giulia Zazzeri, Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico, Milan
The oral presentations are given in a hybrid format supported by a Zoom meeting featuring on-site and virtual presentations. The button to access the Zoom meeting appears just before the time block starts.

Speakers

  • Xin (Lindsay) Lan
  • Marielle Saunois, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, France
  • Laura Stecher, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Sander Houweling, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Thomas Röckmann, Utrecht University, Netherlands
  • Joeri Rogelj, United Kingdom
  • James L. France, Environmental Defense Fund, United Kingdom
  • Giuliana Panieri
  • Giulia Zazzeri, Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico - RSE, Milan, Italy, Italy
  • Euan Nisbet, Retired from Retired from Royal Holloway, Univ. of London, United Kingdom
Please check your login data.