Context

• From November 11 to 22, 2024, global leaders will convene in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• This year’s summit, known as the Finance COP, focuses on setting a new global climate finance target, the new collective quantified goal (NCQG).
• By cutting methane emissions, countries can slow near-term temperature rises, thereby buying critical time for longer-term CO2 reductions needed to stabilise climate change.

U.S.-China Collaboration and the Role of Methane Reduction

• US-China Collaboration Despite Tensions
  • Despite existing tensions, the United States and China have managed to find common ground on the issue of methane reduction, acknowledging its importance beyond the traditional focus on CO2.
  • The two nations, along with the United Arab Emirates, organised a summit at COP28 to address methane and other non-CO2 emissions.
  • This collaboration is significant, as it underscores the urgent need to address high-impact pollutants like methane that contribute disproportionately to climate change.
• China’s National Plan
  • In November 2023, China released its first national plan to control methane emissions, emphasising capacity-building efforts rather than explicit mitigation targets.
  • This marked a substantial step forward, signalling China’s commitment to tackle methane alongside the United States.
  • With China and the U.S. as the top two contributors to methane emissions, their joint focus on this issue holds promise for global efforts to curb methane emissions.
  • India, as the third-largest source of methane emissions, has an opportunity to benefit from this U.S.-China partnership by seeking specific financing and capacity-building support to manage its own methane challenges.

India’s Methane Emissions Profile and Challenges

• India's Third Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC highlights that in 2016, the country emitted approximately 409 million tons of CO2-equivalent methane.
• Agriculture contributed to 74% of these emissions, followed by waste (14%), energy (11%), and industrial processes (1%).
• Given the dominance of agriculture, especially in livestock and rice production, India has been cautious about making nationwide methane reduction commitments or joining initiatives like the Global Methane Pledge, which calls for a 30% reduction from 2020 levels by 2030.
• Yet, fires at waste dumpsites in urban areas have already demonstrated methane’s broader environmental and health impacts.
• A fire at Delhi’s Bhalswa dumpsite in 2022, for instance, led to dangerously high pollution levels, underscoring the need for action.

India’s Initiatives for Methane Reduction

• Waste Management Programs
  • A Comprehensive Roadmap
  • India’s waste management sector contributes about 14% of the nation’s methane emissions, primarily from unmanaged organic waste in landfills and open dumpsites.
  • Fires at these sites can exacerbate air pollution, as evidenced by the 2022 fire at the Bhalswa dumpsite in Delhi, which caused severe pollution spikes.
  • To address this, India has crafted a comprehensive regulatory framework for waste management, yet implementation remains a challenge due to limited local capacity and financial resources.
• Innovative Solutions
  • India has adopted innovative solutions in waste management that serve as models for other regions.
  • One prominent example is the city of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, which has pioneered a system of citywide organic waste sorting.
  • Indore collects and separates organic waste from other forms of refuse, which is then sent to a large biomethane plant.
  • This facility converts organic waste into biogas, which is used to fuel city buses, offering a sustainable way to manage waste while reducing methane emissions.
  • The success of Indore’s model has garnered national attention and is being considered for replication in other cities across India.
• Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) Scheme
  • Launched as part of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, GOBARdhan encourages rural communities to convert organic waste, particularly cattle manure, into biogas and compost.
  • This program aims to promote clean energy production in villages, reduce reliance on traditional fuels, and decrease methane emissions from livestock waste.
  • The GOBARdhan initiative not only supports sustainable waste management but also provides rural households with an additional income source, strengthening local economies.
• Initiatives to Address Agriculture and Livestock Emission
  • National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
    • Under the NMSA, farmers are encouraged to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices that reduce methane emissions.
    • Techniques such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), which involves periodically draining rice paddies instead of continuously flooding them, help lower methane emissions.
    • AWD not only cuts methane release by reducing anaerobic decomposition in paddy fields but also conserves water, an important consideration given the country’s water scarcity issues.
  • National Livestock Mission
    • The mission advocates for techniques like green fodder production, silage making, and total mixed ration (TMR), which can improve livestock digestion and reduce methane emissions.
    • By integrating more nutritious and digestible feed types, these practices reduce the amount of methane produced per animal while supporting livestock health and productivity.
    • The mission also supports chaff cutting and other efficient feeding techniques, which minimise waste and optimize feed use.

Opportunities for India at COP29

• Leveraging Methane Diplomacy
  • COP29 presents India with a unique opportunity to leverage the U.S.-China methane partnership for advancing its methane abatement agenda.
  • Through this collaboration, India can seek financial support, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources, particularly for its waste sector, which accounts for a notable portion of methane emissions.
  • With emissions estimates for waste management largely based on outdated or unreliable data, more accurate satellite monitoring and resources could help India scale up its methane mitigation efforts.
• A Significant Opportunity to Fasttrack India’s Efforts in Methane Reduction
  • India’s 2016 inventory estimates these sources as producing around 4% of India’s methane emissions.
  • But underlying data quality (emissions factors as well as waste stream volumes) is poor.
  • Satellite monitoring on Delhi and Mumbai, for instance, suggests that emissions levels are 50%-100% above commonly used estimates and that dumpsites alone account for more than a quarter of Mumbai’s greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Methane may be a side issue in the overall COP29 agenda, but it presents a significant opportunity for India to fast-track its efforts in reducing methane emissions.
  • The Government of India has laid the groundwork with its existing policies and initiatives.

Conclusion

• While methane may not be the primary focus of COP29, it offers India a critical pathway to accelerate its climate ambitions.
• With groundwork already laid through domestic policies and innovations, India now needs enhanced financial and technical backing to expand these initiatives.
• By engaging proactively at COP29, India has a chance to secure the resources necessary for scaling up its methane reduction efforts, benefiting both its own citizens and the global fight against climate change.