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Global Methane Emissions

  • Landfills - Third largest human-made emissions source, accounting for 12% of global methane emissions in 2005.
  • Coalmines - Methane produced accounts for 6% of global methane emissions.
  • Agriculture and livestock - These emissions make up 51% of methane volume worldwide, and are projected to increase by 17% between 2005 and 2020, with developing countries experiencing the largest percentage increases.

Promoting Improved Urban Sanitation and Reduction of Fugitive Methane Emissions

An essential part of climate change mitigation is capturing "fugitive" greenhouse gas emissions, often arising from equipment leaks or evaporative processes.

ADB is helping in this area through a number of regional initiatives and several loan and technical assistance projects aimed at the various sources of fugitive emissions. Efforts are focused on the capture of methane, which is over 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Once captured, methane is converted to a less powerful greenhouse gas and then used to replace more carbon intensive energy fuels such as coal and kerosene.

In addition, in 2006, ADB joined the Methane to Markets (M2M) Partnership, which is promoted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to advance increased investment in methane capture and utilization projects.