An ad hoc committee will examine approaches to measuring, monitoring, reporting, and developing inventories of anthropogenic emissions of methane to the atmosphere. The geographic scope of this study is limited to the U.S., although much of the committee’s report could be relevant internationally. Specifically, the committee will:

1. discuss how methane emissions measurements, monitoring data, and inventories are used and usable for managing emissions, scientific research, and other purposes;
2. assess scientific understanding with respect to published inventories of U.S. anthropogenic methane emissions, including estimates of current emissions, recent trends, and projections of future emissions;
3. describe and evaluate approaches used to measure and monitor methane emissions;
4. recommend how to report results of methane emissions studies to facilitate comparisons among studies and to ensure results are useful for policymaking;
5. describe and evaluate approaches used to develop inventories of past, present and future methane emissions;
6. recommend best available approaches for addressing key uncertainties, areas of incomplete understanding, and technical challenges in developing methane inventories; and
7. recommend research needed to improve methane emissions measurement, monitoring, and inventory development.