Methane is a major greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change. The Global Methane Reduction Platform for Development (CH4D), is a strategic platform launched by the World Bank at COP 28, that aims to support low-and middle-income countries in the ‘methane triple-wins’ of decreasing emissions, enhancing resilience, and empowering livelihoods. SLU is a scientific technical partner to the platform, providing scientific advice on evidence-based and sustainable solutions to methane reduction in the agri-food and waste sectors.
Bending the methane emission curve is one of several important approaches to reduce the rise in global temperatures and support billions of people on the front lines of climate change. While methane is not as long-lived in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it is 80 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas, making it a major driver of climate change - but also a key part of the solution.
The Global Methane Reduction Platform for Development (CH4D), driven by the World Bank, is a strategic platform for collaborative actions in support of the global target of reducing 30% of methane emissions by 2030, from 2020 levels. As a hub for action, CH4D will mainstream methane reduction into the World Bank’s agri-food, waste, and sanitation portfolios. The goal is to enable a “triple win” approach to methane reduction, aiming to reduce emissions from the sector while promoting food security and farmer livelihoods by focusing on sustainable productivity growth.
Starting in autumn 2024, SLU provides the CH4D team and partners with scientific expert advice on approaches for sustainable reduction of methane emissions from the agri-food and waste sectors, with a particular emphasis on livestock, rice production, organic waste management, agricultural economics and life cycle assessments. SLU’s contribution to CH4D will be coordinated from SLU Global.
Katarina Börling, SLU Global
– Researchers from several departments at SLU will contribute to the assignment, applying a comprehensive approach that integrates advanced agricultural sciences, tailored to specific contexts worldwide, says Katarina Börling, project coordinator at SLU Global.
The emphasis is on innovative and affordable strategies for methane emission reduction from livestock management, effective organic waste management techniques including biogas production, and application of agricultural economics and life cycle assessments. All to ensure climate benefits, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic viability in line with CH4D’s triple wins. SLU’s scientific expert advice will also focus on behavioural change and adoption by farmers, policy makers and alike.
– Engaging with the CH4D teams will offer valuable transdisciplinary discussions and create great opportunities for broad dissemination and impact of the research and knowledge available at SLU, Katarina Börling continues.
Bending the methane curve. World Bank brief, 2 December 2023.