When we talk about climate change, almost all the focus is on carbon dioxide, but There is another gas that is strongly driving global warming: methane (CH4)Despite being one of the most potent greenhouse gases, it continues to take a back seat in public debate and many climate policies.
A comprehensive report by Ecologists in Action, focusing on the The situation of methane in Spain and on a global scaleThe report warns that failing to act quickly on this gas seriously reduces the chances of keeping the global temperature rise below 1,5°C. It argues that drastically reducing methane emissions is not only crucial for the climate, but also for air quality and health.
Why methane is so important in the climate crisis
According to the analysis compiled by Ecologists in Action, methane has caused between 20% and 30% of global warming It has been recorded since the beginning of the industrial era. It is the second most important greenhouse gas after CO₂, but its behavior is different: its ability to warm the atmosphere in short periods is much greater.
On a scale of a few decades, Methane traps much more heat than CO₂This makes it a true accelerator of climate change. The "good" part, if you can call it that, is that its lifespan in the atmosphere is relatively short: after a few years it degrades, unlike carbon dioxide, which can remain for 50 to 100 years or more.
This combination – high heating power and short lifespan – makes it methane cuts have very rapid climatic effectsSeveral studies cited in the report indicate that a solution before 2030 could be crucial to keeping the door ajar to the 1,5°C target set by the international scientific community.
But the methane problem doesn't end there. This gas also participates in the formation of tropospheric ozoneMethane is a pollutant that acts at ground level and has direct impacts on human health, crops, and ecosystems. The European Environment Agency estimates that a significant portion of background ozone pollution in Europe is due to methane emitted globally.
Therefore, the report emphasizes that Acting on methane is one of the most effective levers in the short term to curb the rise in global temperature and, at the same time, improve air quality in Europe and Spain.
Three major sources of emissions: food, energy, and waste.
Human-caused methane emissions are concentrated mainly in three interconnected systems: the industrial agri-food model, the energy system based on fossil fuels and waste managementTogether, these sectors account for around 60% of global emissions of this gas, according to the Global Methane Budget and data collected by Ecologists in Action.
In the agri-food field, la intensive livestock farming It stands out as one of the largest sources of methane.Ruminants (such as cows and sheep) emit large quantities of this gas during digestion, especially in high-density industrial systems. Furthermore, the intensive production of feed to nourish these livestock relies on monocultures and large agricultural areas, which involve deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and soil degradation, often in other countries.
The energy system continues to rely heavily on the extraction, transport and use of fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal. Methane leaks During the exploitation of gas fields, processing, storage, and distribution networks account for a significant portion of total emissions. Although fossil gas is sometimes presented as a “cleaner” alternative to coal, the report points out that, if the associated methane is not controlled, its climate impact can be very high.
The third pillar is the waste management, especially organic wastePoorly managed landfills, inadequate treatment of urban and agricultural waste, and high levels of food waste all generate methane when organic matter decomposes without oxygen, in contrast to measures such as biogas valorizationThis problem is exacerbated in a linear, throwaway economy model, where more waste is generated than is properly managed.
Together, these sectors form part of the same productive mechanism: a globalized production and consumption model that is environmentally unsustainable and socially unequalThey not only drive methane emissions, but also fuel biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and increased inequality between regions. In response, it is important to promote alternatives such as... circular economy that reduce waste generation and emissions.
A still insufficient political framework in Europe and Spain
Despite the climatic and health relevance of methane, Public policies have historically paid far less attention to this gas than to CO₂For decades, climate inventories and targets have focused on carbon dioxide, leaving methane in the background, often without concrete reduction targets.
It wasn't until the Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26) in 2021 that the Global Methane Pledge, an international initiative to cut global emissions of this gas by at least 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. More than 140 countries, including Spain and most member states of the European Union, have joined this declaration.
However, the Ecologists in Action report clarifies that This commitment remains voluntary and lacks binding mechanismsTherefore, its effectiveness will depend on how it translates into real measures in each country and sector. At the regulatory level, other instruments that regulate air pollution in Europe, such as the Gothenburg Protocol or the National Emission Ceilings Directive, do not even include methane among the pollutants subject to specific limits, despite its role in ozone formation.
In the Spanish case, the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) It incorporates some measures that could reduce methane emissions (especially in energy and waste), but it does not set a specific percentage reduction target or a cross-cutting plan encompassing all sectors involved. For Ecologists in Action, this lack of a clear 2030 target reflects a regulatory framework that is still insufficiently ambitious given the scale of the problem.
The document considers it necessary that European and national climate policy should explicitly integrate methane.with quantified goals, timelines and concrete sectoral measures, in line with the recommendations of the IPCC and other international scientific bodies.
Beyond efficiency: a structural change of model
One of the central ideas of the report is that Solutions to reduce methane cannot be limited to technological adjustments or small increases in efficiency.Although technical improvements are useful - for example, to detect leaks in gas infrastructure or optimize waste management processes - they are not enough on their own to achieve the necessary reductions.
The environmental organization argues that a profound transformation of the energy, agri-food and waste systems towards more sustainable, fair, and regenerative models. This implies questioning structural dynamics of the current economic model, based on intensive resource extraction, mass production, and high levels of consumption in the wealthiest countries.
In the energy sector, the priority is to accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources and reduce energy demandIt's not just about replacing one technology with another. Reducing the use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, industry, and transportation is essential to cutting both CO₂ emissions and methane emissions associated with the gas and oil supply chain.
In the food system, the report argues to promote agroecological practices and reduce the weight of intensive industrial livestock farmingThis involves, among other things, reducing the number of animals on industrial farms, promoting more extensive and local production models, and accompanying these changes with a modification of eating habits, with less consumption of animal products, especially ruminant meat.
Regarding waste, it is proposed substantially improve the collection, treatment and valorization of the organic fractionas well as reducing food waste throughout the entire chain, from production to household consumption. Moving towards a circular economy—one that prioritizes prevention, reuse, and recycling—would reduce the amount of organic matter that ends up decomposing in landfills and emitting methane.
For Ecologists in Action, these transformations are not solely a response to climate change. They also present an opportunity to alleviate other ecological and social crisessuch as the loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, water pollution, or the increase in inequalities between territories and communities.
Methane as a quick-change lever
One of the most frequently repeated arguments by the sources consulted in the report is that Taking action on methane buys us time in the fight against climate change.Since their effects on the atmosphere are manifested in short periods, a rapid and deep reduction of their emissions could slow the rate of warming in the coming decades, while structural measures to cut CO₂ and other long-lived greenhouse gases are consolidated.
Marta Orihuel, spokesperson for Ecologists in Action, summarizes this idea as follows: Methane can be a lever to slow down climate change in the short term.But at the same time, it highlights the limitations of the current production and consumption model. Reducing emissions requires a review of how energy is produced, how food systems are organized, and how waste is managed in our societies.
The report insists that The reduction of methane must always be accompanied by a sustained decrease in CO₂It is not a matter of choosing between one gas or the other, but of understanding that the combination of both approaches - rapid action on methane and long-term cuts in carbon dioxide - is the path with the greatest chance of avoiding extreme climate scenarios.
In addition to the climate benefits, measures to limit methane would have immediate positive effects on air quality and public healthby reducing the formation of tropospheric ozone and other associated pollutants. These impacts would be especially relevant in urban and agricultural areas of Europe and Spain, where the combination of local emissions and background pollution leads to frequent exceedances of the limits recommended by the WHO.
In short, the message the document conveys is that Failing to act on methane means missing one of the clearest and most direct opportunities to curb the escalating climate crisis. in the short term. Integrating this gas into the core of climate and air quality policies is presented as an essential step to align public action with the available scientific evidence.
The current discussion is no longer limited to recognizing that methane is a problem, but to defining What specific changes will be implemented in key sectors?...with what timeline and with what level of ambition. The ability of Spain and the European Union to contribute to stabilizing the climate and protecting the health of people and ecosystems in the coming decades will depend largely on these decisions.