105 countries pledge 30% methane cuts by 2030

11/5/2021 - A new global agreement to slash methane emissions could accelerate much-needed investment in faecal sludge management and industrial wastewater treatment. The Global Methane Pledge, which was signed by 105 countries ahead of its launch at COP26 on Tuesday, commits countries to cutting emissions of the potent greenhouse gas by 30% between 2020 and 2030.

While agriculture and oil & gas dominate the discourse, the IPCC calculates that wastewater contributes around 10% of man-made methane emissions.

Limiting fugitive emissions from methane-rich anaerobic digesters will no doubt be a concern, but the greatest opportunity is in tackling the methane emitted from open sewers, latrines, and septic tanks in the developing world, dovetailing with SDG6 ambitions.

High-strength organic wastewaters from the food & beverage and pulp & paper industries will also come under scrutiny as signatory countries embark on audits and methane abatement strategies. A new Independent Methane Emissions Observatory will monitor progress.