Context
- India is the third-largest emitter of methane globally, contributing ~9% of total global emissions.
- Around 15% of India’s methane emissions come from the waste sector.
- Other major sources:
- Agriculture: Enteric fermentation in livestock, manure management, rice cultivation
- Energy: Fossil fuel usage, coal mines, leakages from oil & natural gas systems
Unlike agriculture and energy, which require long-term structural reforms, the waste sector offers quick mitigation opportunities through targeted interventions.
About Methane
- Potency: ~84 times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years.
- Climate Impact: Second most significant anthropogenic warming agent after CO₂.
- Short-Lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP):
- Atmospheric lifespan ~12 years
- Major precursor to ground-level ozone
- Significance: Reducing methane can provide rapid cooling benefits, essential to limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Key Interventions for Methane Management from Waste
1Monitoring & Identification
•Satellite-based monitoring tracks broad methane trends and identifies emission hotspots.
•ISRO 2023 study highlighted major emitters:
§Pirana (Gujarat)
§Deonar & Kanjurmarg (Maharashtra)
§Ghazipur (Delhi)
2Source Segregation
•Enforce segregation of wet, dry, and hazardous waste at source.
•Linked to Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban & Gramin).
•Prevents methane generation from decomposing organic waste.
3Waste-to-Energy & Bio-CNG
•Expand GOBARdhan programme: convert wet waste into biogas or Bio-CNG.
•Captures methane productively and supplies clean energy.
4Scientific Landfills
•Replace open dumping with engineered landfills (as per Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016).
•Features:
§Gas collection systems
§Leachate management
§Reduces uncontrolled methane release
5Alignment with Climate Goals
•Integrate methane mitigation measures into India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
•Supports short-term climate benefits and long-term sustainability.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
