The Politics of Methane Emissions
Global understanding of methane emissions is overwhelmingly informed by natural and environmental science research.
There is a striking paucity of social science research on the social and political causes of methane emissions. Social scientists have contributed hugely to understanding the socio-political dimensions of CO2 emissions. They could do the same for CH4.
The aim of our research on this theme is thus to explore how methane emissions are shaped by socio-political factors. We ask:
- How have socio-political factors – everything from industrial policies and consumption patterns, to international inequalities and wars – helped shape patterns of methane emissions?
- How do the roles of such socio-political factors vary across sites, sectors and scales?
- How have they varied historically?
- In what ways are the socio-political causes of CH4 emissions different from those associated with CO2?
- To what extent do such socio-political factors explain why progress towards limiting methane emissions has been so slow? and
- Given the many uncertainties that surround methane emissions, to what extent can we really know?
Continue reading about the politics of methane policy here >