The Global Methane Initiative (GMI) is an international public-private partnership focused on reducing barriers to the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source. GMI’s 45 Partner Countries and more than 700 Project Network members exchange information and technical resources to advance methane mitigation in three key sectors: Oil and Gas, Biogas, and Coal Mines. Learn more about the GMI.
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Tell us how you’re reducing methane emissions
Methane Matters
The Challenge

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Over its 12-year lifetime in the atmosphere, it traps 28 times more heat than carbon dioxide, resulting in a stronger influence on warming.

The Opportunity

Methane’s short atmospheric lifetime also means that reductions today can make an immediate impact to slow warming. And, a variety of technologies are available to capture methane and convert it to useful energy.

About GMI

GMI provides technical support to deploy methane-to-energy projects around the world. Since 2004, GMI support has enabled Partner Countries to launch hundreds of methane recovery and use projects, with nearly 370 MMTCO2e of associated emission reductions. These reductions result in many benefits, including:

Decreased greenhouse gases
Better air and water quality
Improved human health
Enhanced energy security
Increased worker safety
Expanded economic growth

GMI is an information resource for Partner Countries, Project Network members, and other stakeholders. Learn more by visiting our online library:

GMI collaborates with other international organizations focused on methane recovery and use, including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The GMI Fact Sheet is available to download in English, and en Español.

Upcoming Events

Subcommittee Events   Other Events
Oil & Gas Sector
Methane emissions from oil and natural gas systems result from both normal operations and system disruptions. These emissions can be cost-effectively reduced by upgrading technologies or equipment, and by improving operations.
Biogas Sector
Biogas produced from the anaerobic digestion of organic material can be treated to create pipeline-quality natural gas, used directly as a cooking fuel, used to generate electricity, and captured on-site to provide heat and power.
Coal Mines Sector
Removing fugitive methane gas from underground coal mines and using it in profitable and practical ways can improve worker safety, enhance mine productivity, increase revenues, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

GMI Targeted Sectors (54%)

  Oil & Gas Operations: 24%
  Municipal Solid Waste: 11%
  Wastewater: 7%
  Manure Management: 3%
  Coal Mining: 9%

Other Sources (46%)

27% 7% 5% 4% 3%

Communication

Interested national governments may request to become Partners in the Global Methane Initiative at any time. Governments that join GMI have the opportunity to participate in the work of the GMI Steering Committee, which guides the work of the initiative as a whole, as well as any GMI subcommittees that may be of interest: biogas, coal mines, and oil and gas.

If you're interested in becoming a partner country, send us an email.

The Project Network is a growing community of private-sector entities, financial institutions, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations with an interest in methane abatement, recovery, and use projects.

Project Network members are actively involved in the Initiative and are critical to its success. Working with countries who are Global Methane Initiative (GMI) Partners, Project Network members can galvanize action, setting the stage for methane reduction projects.

Join The Project Network