Global methane action pays for itself at least six times over.

We provide a comprehensive assessment of the economic benefits and costs of global methane emissions abatement, anchored on the Global Methane Pledge. We use an integrated assessment model to estimate avoided climate damages at the global and country levels, including quantification of tipping points and risk. We further estimate air-quality cobenefits and methane abatement costs. We find that global methane action would be highly beneficial, yielding a benefit-cost ratio of at least six. It would provide larger benefits in lower-income countries, and it would reduce tipping point intensity and risk. We provide estimates of the social cost of methane to compare with previous literature and show that these estimates imply that key economies, such as the United States, European Union, and China, should be self-interested to abate methane emissions substantially.

Duke Scholars

Author Drew Todd Shindell Earth and Climate Sciences