Technical approaches to removing methane from the atmosphere (methane removal) | Umweltbundesamt

Against the background of the discussion on Carbon Dioxide Removal, the question arises as to whether there are also technologies to remove methane (CH₄) from the atmosphere (Methane Removal), which is 30 times more harmful to the climate. Methane is converted into CO₂ in the atmosphere by natural oxidation processes with an average residence time of 9 to 12 years. This factsheet presents the development status of technical approaches to accelerate this process and remove methane from the atmosphere at the current atmospheric concentration of approx. 2 ⁠ppm⁠. These approaches are not an alternative to avoiding and reducing methane emissions.