Methane 101: Why It Matters, Where It Comes From, and How to Tackle It

This guide by RMI explains the climate and health impacts of methane, its primary sources, and strategies for reduction. It highlights the role of data and international agreements in curbing emissions and details RMI's specific tools and initiatives for monitoring and certifying low-methane gas production.

• Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to global warming; it is over 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at warming the planet over a 20-year period. Its increase is responsible for approximately 0.5°C of global temperature rise, representing nearly 30 percent of human-made warming to date. In 2025, methane levels reached their highest ever recorded point.
• Methane emissions originate from both human-made and natural sources. Human-made sources—including the fossil fuel industry, landfills, livestock, and agriculture—account for about 55 percent of current pollution, while natural sources such as wetlands, swamps, and thawing permafrost contribute roughly 45 percent.
• Beyond climate warming, methane contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone (smog) and is often co-emitted with toxic substances. Examples include benzene, a known carcinogen, and deadly hydrogen sulfide, which can be released from oil and gas wells, pipelines, and chemical plants.
• International efforts to reduce methane include the Global Methane Pledge, signed at COP26 in 2021 by 159 countries, which aims for a 30 percent reduction in 2020 methane levels by 2030. Additionally, European Union regulations enacted in 2024 impose bans on venting and flaring and establish a low-methane standard for gas importers.
• RMI employs several tools to track and reduce methane, including the Oil Climate Index plus Gas (OCI+) for life-cycle emissions and the MiQ certification standard, which has certified 24 billion cubic feet per day of low-methane-leakage gas. RMI also utilizes the Tanager-1 satellite to track super-emitters and has mapped marginal wells across the United States.

APA

RMI (2026). Methane 101: Why It Matters, Where It Comes From, and How to Tackle It. https://rmi.org/resources/methane-101-why-it-matters-where-it-comes-from-and-how-to-tackle-it/

Chicago

RMI. Methane 101: Why It Matters, Where It Comes From, and How to Tackle It. 2026. https://rmi.org/resources/methane-101-why-it-matters-where-it-comes-from-and-how-to-tackle-it/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Methane 101: Why It Matters, Where It Comes From, and How to Tackle It |date=27 February 2026 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/methane-101-why-it-matters-where-it-comes-from-and-how-to-tackle-it/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2026methane, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Methane 101: Why It Matters, Where It Comes From, and How to Tackle It}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/methane-101-why-it-matters-where-it-comes-from-and-how-to-tackle-it/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }