Clean Air Task Force – Methane Explainer Video Series
Methane is an invisible, highly-potent greenhouse gas that is 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period. Reducing methane pollution is the fastest way to slow global warming.
The Challenge
As the first environmental group to publicly sound the alarm about the dangers of methane emissions and pollution, Clean Air Task Force (CATF) continues to lead the policy and advocacy efforts to reduce methane emissions worldwide. Even though rapid reductions in methane emissions, from energy, waste and agriculture are the only way to dramatically reduce warming, many still lack understanding of the nature and impact of methane and why it’s important to regulate.
The Solution
Methane emissions from key industries like energy, agriculture and waste can be achieved by supporting policy initiatives, encouraging the development of financial incentives, and championing regulatory standards that can dramatically reduce emissions. We designed and produced a series of animated explainer videos to help decision-makers, political and industry leaders learn, gain insight and take action.
What is methane pollution?
Methane is an invisible, odorless yet powerful greenhouse gas that is responsible for about 0.5 degrees of the global warming we’ve experienced to date.
60% of the methane in the atmosphere comes from human activity. Most methane pollution caused by human activity comes from fossil fuels, agriculture, and waste:
- 23%
of methane comes from oil and gas - 12%
of methane comes from coal - 40%
of methane comes from livestock, manure management, and rice production - 20%
of methane comes from waste, such as landfills and sewage
Methane video series
Cutting Methane from Oil and Gas
Slowing the rate of global climate change requires rapidly reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. Anthropogenic methane emissions are responsible for about half a degree Celsius of net warming experienced today, and the oil and gas sector is among the largest sources of these emissions globally. The availability of low-cost technology combined with the relatively few companies and countries with substantial oil and gas production creates an unprecedented opportunity to reduce warming now.
The Impact of Agriculture Methane
Agriculture is the world’s largest source of anthropogenic, or human caused, methane emissions, accounting for 40% of the global total with the majority stemming from enteric fermentation in livestock, manure management, and rice production. Agricultural methane emissions are tightly tied to growth and development in much of the world and are projected to increase significantly without fast action. Cutting methane from agriculture is critical to addressing global warming and the negative effects it has on climate.
The Impact of Waste Methane
Waste is the world’s third-largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions, accounting for 20% of the global total with the majority stemming from solid waste decaying in dumpsites and landfills. Waste methane emissions are projected to increase significantly without fast action and CATF is working to help governments around the world understand and prioritize the waste sector in methane mitigation plans and goals.
Coal Mine Methane Pollution
Coal mining is responsible for roughly 12% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. Methane in coal seams – deposits of coal that are visible within layers of rock – is created as part of the same geological process that leads to the formation of coal. Large quantities of methane are typically trapped in or near coal deposits and are released during mining operations. Emissions reductions are not only timely and economically justified but critical to realize the full climate benefit of methane mitigation.
Creating content that bridges gaps and
drives action forward
Storytelling and content creation for serious topics like climate change and pollution prevention is a powerful way to disseminate information more broadly and help leaders make informed decisions. By working with the team at CATF on shaping the narrative around methane emissions reductions and supporting their scientific research, policy initiatives, and practical strategies to reduce emissions we were able to produce these videos as leading tools for advocacy and education, with some of them viewed more than half a million times.
“Visualizing an invisible greenhouse gas poses a unique creative challenge. Collaborating with subject matter experts to develop engaging content that can be easily understood on a global scale and have scientific validity was a powerful experience. Our goal was to create videos that took complex information and make it digestible for broader audiences.”
Kelly Lynch, Associate Creative Director, 5IVE
Learn more about our collaboration with CATF in the development of CoMAT, a software tool designed to help countries build comprehensive mitigation plans and policy strategies for methane emissions reduction from the oil and gas industry.