UN Initiative Will Use Satellites To Detect Methane Emission Hotspots (engadget.com) 24
The United Nations is betting that satellites could help the world catch up on emissions reductions. From a report: The organization has unveiled a Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) that, as the name implies, will warn countries and companies of "major" methane emission releases. The technology will use satellite map data to identify sources, notify the relevant bodies and help track progress on lowering this output.
The initial MARS platform will focus on "very large" energy sector sources. It'll gradually expand to include less powerful sources, more frequent alerts and data from animals, coal, rice and waste. Partners in the program, such as the International Energy Agency and UN's Climate and Clean Air Coalition, will provide help and advice. The information also won't remain a secret, as the UN will make both data and analyses public between 45 to 75 days after it's detected. The system will get its early funding from the US government, European Commission, Bezos Earth Fund and the Global Methane Hub. Both Bezos' fund and GMH are backing related efforts, such as studies on spotting and counteracting agricultural methane emissions.
The initial MARS platform will focus on "very large" energy sector sources. It'll gradually expand to include less powerful sources, more frequent alerts and data from animals, coal, rice and waste. Partners in the program, such as the International Energy Agency and UN's Climate and Clean Air Coalition, will provide help and advice. The information also won't remain a secret, as the UN will make both data and analyses public between 45 to 75 days after it's detected. The system will get its early funding from the US government, European Commission, Bezos Earth Fund and the Global Methane Hub. Both Bezos' fund and GMH are backing related efforts, such as studies on spotting and counteracting agricultural methane emissions.
Re:Uh....yeah.... (Score:4, Informative)
But Cows are the problem??
No. The article said The initial MARS platform will focus on "very large" energy sector sources.
Cows aren't the problem; the article is about tracing methane released from oil and gas production.
Why only now? (Score:2, Insightful)
It's good they finally start to look where the gas is really coming from, rather than wild fingerpointing everywhere but the actual biggest emitters.
But it's a good question: What took so long before this idea became acceptable with the climate kids?
Re: (Score:2)
NASA just figured out where the gas is coming from, this is no doubt the international result [nasa.gov]
Re: (Score:2)
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Right. We know where they are. That doesn't really fix the problem...
Right. We just now figured out how to find out where they are, did so, and can keep doing so as things change.
So now we can work on fixing the problem. Starting with a handful of spots that are most of the problem.
Heck: It might not even need any government action, beyond telling the emitters where the big leaks are. A big concentrated leak is easily fixable, and has enough saleable fuel gas just floating away to make it profitable to
ISS? (Score:2)
Isn't this redundant?
https://science.slashdot.org/s... [slashdot.org]
Uh oh... (Score:2)
let's attack the agriculture sector - good idea! (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
There may be a connection between some of the highest methane and CO2 contributors in the food sector, and the food crisis.
The number of calories that go into livestock, who in turn are some of the greatest emitters, is significantly lost in the output.
Imagine driving a car that lost like 19 of 20 liters you put into it. That's about how inefficient eating animals is.
Around half of all crops grown worldwide are fed to farmed animals. We have more than enough food, we're just wasting it feeding it to livesto
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Bingo (Score:1)
Note that China lied about their coal/CO2, until OCO2 mapped out how badly CHina was lying and forced them to admit that they were burning a LOT MORE COAL. [theguardian.com]
Then China had signed treat [noaa.gov]
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But you already knew that didn't you. You've been shown the data numerous times before.
what's up WindBourne? (Score:1)
Is it because China was decreasing along with Europe, but America was getting worse...
China’s emissions are projected to decline by roughly 0.9 percent this year,
In Europe, emissions are also expected to drop by about 0.8 percent this year,
By contrast, in the United States, emissions are projected to rise around 1.5 percent this year,
Entitled scumbags...
Re: (Score:2)
Good luck with China I'm sure they will immediately implement any suggestions.
"Hey, China! You've got some big methane leaks HERE, HERE, and HERE. You know, if you captured that methane, it would be that much less you'd have to buy from Russia, and with just a few big leaks it would be a lot cheaper, too.
I bet they'd take THAT suggestion.