U.S. Government Global Methane Initiative Accomplishments

The U.S. government provides key leadership for reducing barriers to the recovery and use of methane as a valuable energy source. The 2022 Accomplishments in Methane Mitigation, Recovery, and Use through U.S.-Supported International Efforts report summaries of the U.S. government’s methane emission reduction accomplishments throughout the world, and also features sector-specific activity highlights.

Report Highlights

Annual Methane Emission Reduction from U.S.-Supported Projects, 2004-2022

The United States continued to actively engage with Partner Countries and provide key leadership on international methane emission reduction efforts in 2022. Between 2004 and 2022, the U.S.-supported implementation of more than 1,230 GMI methane mitigation projects. These projects have cumulatively reduced methane emissions by a total of approximately 643 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO₂e), including 40 MMTCO₂e in 2022. U.S. efforts under the auspices of GMI have also identified additional possible mitigation projects with an estimated cumulative potential to reduce at least 871 MMTCO₂e.

Year	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2004-2010
Actual Emission Reductions	40	43.7	47.3	47.3	45.6	44.8	46.2	47.6	39.4	35.9	32	34.2	138.9

Year	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2004-2010
Potential Emission Reductions Identified	38.7	41	64	80.8	80.3	83.9	84.5	83.7	78.4	72.2	53.8	32	77.5

Year	Biogas	Coal Mines	Oil and Gas
2004-2010	7.8	78.3	52.7
2011	12.9	100.7	59.5
2012	18.2	123.2	63.7
2013	23.4	148	69.6
2014	35.2	171.9	73.2
2015	46.9	195.9	85.2
2016	58.2	219.8	96
2017	69.6	242.7	106.7
2018	80.8	266.5	117.2
2019	91.1	293.3	127.4
2020	101.4	320.3	137.4
2021	111.4	344.1	147.2
2022	120.7	367.7	154.4

Sector	Percentage
Biogas (9.3 MMTCO₂e)	23
Coal Mines (23.5 MMTCO₂e)	59
Oil and Gas (7.2 MMTCO₂e)	18

Methane Mitigation Activities

Since 2004, U.S. Government funding from the Department of State and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sponsored and advanced methane mitigation activities including technical assessments, information sharing, capacity building, and GMI partnership-related activities. In 2022 alone, U.S. Government funding supported country-specific activities related to methane mitigation in six nations (China, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Serbia) and partnership-wide activities that served all GMI Partner Countries. Every $1 invested by the United States in GMI leverages approximately $6 in investments from other stakeholders, which are used to develop projects that reduce methane emissions directly and to fund assessments that identify additional opportunities to achieve emission reductions.

Through U.S. investment in 2022, more than 2,000 people received a total of approximately 19,000 hours of training about reducing methane emissions and capturing methane for productive uses.

Note: Methane emissions data come from the GMI database of project activities maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Data represent the best available yet conservative estimates of emission reductions, including actual emission reductions from projects supported by the U.S. Government and potential emission reductions from other projects identified through U.S. Government efforts. Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) are based on methane having a global warming potential 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period..

U.S. Government Global Methane Initiative Accomplishments

Report Highlights

Annual Methane Emission Reduction from U.S.-Supported Projects, 2004-2022

Methane Mitigation Activities

Previous U.S. Government Reports

GMI Accomplishments

Methane to Markets Partnership Accomplishments

Global Methane Initiative