Environment and ecology
UN Expands Methane Monitoring System
- Context: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) expanded the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) to include coal mines and waste facilities
Key Findings of UNEP Analysis
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- UNEP analysis released in April 2026 identified coal mining and waste management as major methane emission sources
- Two of the world’s three largest methane-emitting sites were landfills located in Chile and India
- The Indian site corresponds to the Kanjurmarg landfill in Mumbai
Methane Emission Sites in India
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- Satellite-based analysis identified two Indian landfill sites among the world’s 25 largest methane emitters
- These sites are located in: Secunderabad and Mumbai
About Methane
- Methane is more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period in trapping heat
- However, methane remains in the atmosphere for only about a decade, unlike carbon dioxide which persists for centuries
- Rapid methane reduction is considered one of the fastest ways to slow global warming
Functioning of MARS
- MARS uses data from more than 35 satellites to detect methane “super-emitters”
- System alerts governments and industries about major methane leaks
- It also tracks whether corrective measures have been taken and emissions reduced
Significance
- Strengthens global methane monitoring and climate mitigation efforts
- Enhances transparency in industrial emissions
- Supports rapid action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
