These Australian companies highlight ways to reduce methane emissions at COP28

Six of the world’s largest dairy companies have committed to reducing and publicly disclosing their methane emissions as part of a new global alliance launched at COP28.

By mid-2024, Danone, Nestlé, General Mills, Lactalis USA, Kraft Heinz and Bel Group will begin reporting emissions and developing action plans, although they will not set specific reduction targets as a group.

Reducing methane emissions is seen as a key part of limiting global warming using potential solutions such as livestock feed additives.

Australia has signed the voluntary global methane commitment to reduce emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

Elsom is the head of Australian green technology company Sea Forest, which is developing a food supplement (using a red algae native to Australia) that can reduce methane emissions from cows and sheep.

“So when we talk about greenhouse gases, the United Nations puts them into what they call GWP, or global warming potential, and compares all gases to carbon.

“Methane is a gas, it is a short-lived atmospheric gas, and in the first year it is emitted into the atmosphere it has 120 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide.”

Role of agriculture in methane emissions

Sam Elsom is not alone in his approach to methane at COP28.

There has already been a flurry of announcements and initiatives aimed at trying to dramatically reduce the amount of methane escaping into the atmosphere each year.

On Sunday, a group of some of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, led by US giant Exxon, pledged to eliminate methane emissions from their own operations by 2030.

This followed the United States’ commitment to reduce its methane emissions by 80 percent within 15 years, largely by plugging leaking oil and gas wells.

Later in the conference, attention is also expected to focus on the role of agriculture in generating methane emissions.

Susie Smith is the director of the Australian Industrial Greenhouse Network, which represents many of the country’s largest energy producers and users.

He agrees that methane emissions are a problem that needs a solution.

However, he claims that they are not the only problem.

“I think there are two challenges in this space,” Ms. Smith said.

“One is that globally methane has not been particularly well informed.

“Australia is an exception in that sense. That doesn’t mean there aren’t areas where we can’t continue to monitor and be more transparent.

“Then in terms of reduction within Australia, I keep coming back to the principle that it’s not just about reducing methane, we have to reduce all of our greenhouse gas emissions.

“And if you spend too much time focusing on one or the other, we’re not going to solve the problem. Net zero is net zero.”

Queensland falls short

On the sidelines of the talks, Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles was optimistic.

Queensland is one of the largest sources of methane emissions in Australia, courtesy of its coal seam gas industry, coal mines and the state’s huge cattle herd.

Despite this, he emphasizes that resource companies are trying to avoid fugitive methane emissions.

“Likewise, our agriculture department is really working at the forefront of how they can work with our farmers to reduce the carbon and other greenhouse gas footprints of their food production,” Mr Miles said.

“At the end of the day, food production will still be very important.

“So we need to find ways to do it with a smaller greenhouse gas footprint.”

Deputy Prime Minister Steven Miles was on the sidelines of COP28. (ABC News)

When asked if enough was being done to reduce the amount of methane entering the atmosphere, Miles acknowledged that efforts were still insufficient.

“I think to address climate across the board, we need to do more. We need to redouble our efforts and that’s the government, all the industries, everyone who is having an impact,” he said.

For Sea Forest boss Sam Elsom, many, if not most, of the technologies and methods to prevent methane emissions were already available.

He said addressing the problem urgently offers one of the surest paths to limiting global warming to the target of 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

“In the context of methane, I think agriculture is like low-hanging fruit,” Elsom said.

“It’s something we can pursue and get results today. The day the animals consume the supplement there are no emissions; it’s as simple as that.”