Opportunities for Bilateral Methane Cooperation

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines opportunities for bilateral cooperation between the United States and China to reduce methane emissions, specifically focusing on the agriculture and waste/wastewater sectors. It identifies specific technical areas for R&D, the potential for remote sensing collaboration, and the role of economic and regulatory incentives in driving mitigation.

• Methane emissions from agriculture account for approximately 40% of total methane emissions in both the U.S. and China, which globally represents about four gigatons of CO2-equivalent or 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Within agriculture, enteric fermentation is the largest source at 66%, followed by rice at 20% and manure management at 7%, though manure emissions are higher in the U.S. and China than the global average.
• In the U.S., municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions, contributing over 15% of the total inventory. In China, waste and wastewater sectors account for roughly 10% of total methane emissions.
• The U.S. and China have both initiated national methane strategies. The U.S. released its Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan in November 2021, focusing on oil and gas infrastructure, landfill incentives, and agricultural programs, with President Biden committing over $20 billion in new investments at COP27. China has completed a national draft methane action plan targeting energy, agriculture, and waste, and has committed to having urban and rural construction reach carbon peaking before 2030.
• There are significant R&D opportunities for reducing enteric emissions, with an estimated global cost of $100 to $200 million USD. Two specific inhibitors are noted: 3NOP, which reduces emissions by about 30% and is approved in the EU and Brazil, and red algae, which can reduce emissions by up to 80% and potentially increase feed efficiency by 15% or more.
• Collaboration opportunities exist in rice and manure management. For rice, potential reductions can be achieved through improved yield, water management, biochar, and genetic modifications (such as using a barley gene). For manure, China is a world leader in small-scale and community biodigesters, with a penetration rate of 75-80%, offering a model for biogas production as a sustainable energy source.
• Remote sensing presents a multilateral opportunity for the U.S., China, and the EU to provide methane emission data to developing countries. This would shift the focus from compliance to technology and capacity-building, helping countries identify 'hotspots' or outlier emissions in waste management to drive domestic enforcement and mitigation.
• Economic and regulatory incentives are critical for scaling mitigation. The U.S. is increasing Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) projects, while China's 'Zero-Waste Cities' program (targeting 100 cities by 2025) focuses on resource recovery and incineration but lacks subsidies for biogas recovery from waste. California is highlighted as a leader in regulatory drivers, using SB1383 for organic waste recycling and offset protocols for rice methane that could be exported to other jurisdictions, including China.
• Bilateral cooperation faces challenges including trade sensitivities, intellectual property, and food security. Specifically, China's status as an importer of U.S. agricultural products may lead to concerns regarding the acceptance of dairy products using feed additives or genetically modified rice, potentially hindering the scaling of these technologies.

APA

Barbanell, M., & Zwicker, G. (n.d.). Opportunities for Bilateral Methane Cooperation. World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/methane-briefing.pdf

Chicago

Barbanell, Melissa, and Gillian Zwicker. Opportunities for Bilateral Methane Cooperation. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/methane-briefing.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Barbanell |first1=Melissa |last2=Zwicker |first2=Gillian |title=Opportunities for Bilateral Methane Cooperation |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/methane-briefing.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{barbanellndopportunities, author = {Barbanell, Melissa and Zwicker, Gillian}, title = {{Opportunities for Bilateral Methane Cooperation}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/methane-briefing.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }