SRON participates in UN satellite-based global methane detection system

Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C requires steep reductions in methane emissions. This powerful greenhouse gas is responsible for a quarter of human-induced global warming and provides a short-term lever on climate change because it remains in the atmosphere for much less time than CO². Knowing where the largest methane emissions occur is key to successful mitigation.

The United Nations International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) announced its Methane Alert Response System (MARS) today at the COP27 in Egypt. MARS is a global system connecting methane emission detections (e.g., gas leaks) to the governments and businesses responsible for the emissions. As one of the core partners of MARS, SRON will support mitigation efforts by using TROPOMI satellite data to find methane emission hot spots around the world and to help guide the high-resolution satellites that provide facility-level information.

Aaldert van Amerongen, head of SRON’s earth observation program, says: ‘MARS is an ideal way for us to turn climate science into action. The United Nations has the power to make this initiative a success. We are happy and proud that SRON is selected as one of the partners based on our unique expertise in global detection of methane hotspots.’

Click here for the full press release on MARS from IMEO.