Past Events
13th October – Methane Politics 101 – Webinar 1 – The importance of reducing methane emissions in the fight against climate change
Speaker: James France
Time: 15:00-16:00 BST
Abstract: Dr James France gave an introductory talk to the topic of atmospheric methane science; where the methane is coming from, what drives changes to atmospheric concentrations, and where the gaps are in our understanding. We had an overview of how methane is measured for different sectors and scales, and why different approaches for monitoring and tracking emission trends are needed.
About James: James holds a dual position, working as a Senior International Methane Scientist for Environmental Defense Fund and as a Senior Research Fellow for Royal Holloway University of London. He is also seconded to act as Scientific Lead for the Methane Science Studies component of the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory. He has over 15 years of methane science research experience, mainly focusing on methodologies for quantification, attribution, and detection of methane emissions from natural and anthropogenic sources.
METHPOL launch event
Speakers: Barbara Evans, Jan Selby, Martina Otto, Mihai Stoica, Ciniro Costa Junior 28/09/2026
This launch event was timed to coincide with the full METHPOL research team coming on board. The webinar provided an opportunity to learn about the project, and to hear from leading experts and practitioners about key methane issues and the political challenges that they pose. The event was intended for specialists and non-specialists alike – all welcome!
Methane politics: unity and division in the oil and gas industry (seminar)
Speaker: Nikolai Drahos 07/07/2026
Nikolai’s presentation examines why the oil and gas industry has been unified or divided over methane regulation, and what the consequences have been for the political feasibility of methane policy. His presentation focuses on the United States, where he has spent the last three years interviewing oil and gas executives, NGOs, institutional investors and political elites. More broadly, Nikolai’s research sheds light on the role of incumbent industries in environmental politics.
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