Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States
2018

Consensus

You must be logged in to download this publication.

Select Book Type

Paperback - $81.00
Ebook - $62.99

See project
Request an exam or desk copy

Understanding, quantifying, and tracking atmospheric methane and emissions is essential for addressing concerns and informing decisions that affect the climate, economy, and human health and safety. Atmospheric methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that contributes to global warming. While carbon dioxide is by far the dominant cause of the rise in global average temperatures, methane also plays a significant role because it absorbs more energy per unit mass than carbon dioxide does, giving it a disproportionately large effect on global radiative forcing. In addition to contributing to climate change, methane also affects human health as a precursor to ozone pollution in the lower atmosphere.

Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States summarizes the current state of understanding of methane emissions sources and the measurement approaches and evaluates opportunities for methodological and inventory development improvements. This report will inform future research agendas of various U.S. agencies, including NOAA, the EPA, the DOE, NASA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Additional materials

Press Release
Getting to Net-Zero Emissions by 2050

Publication information

250 pages · 7 x 10 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-47050-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-47054-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/24987

Suggested citation

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Import this citation to:

Bibtext
EndNote
Reference manager

First Name
Last Name
Email (required)
I agree to receive emails from the National Academies (required)

We respect your privacy and will never share your information.

Search this publication

Front Matter i-xvi
Summary 1-20
1 Introduction 21-36
2 Current Inventories of Methane Emissions 37-76
3 Methane Emission Measurement and Monitoring Methods 77-138
4 Addressing Uncertainties in Anthropogenic Methane Emissions 139-170
5 Presenting Methane Emission Data and Results 171-178
6 Meeting the Challenges of Characterizing Methane Emissions 179-184
References 185-204
Glossary 205-208
Appendix A: Acronyms and Abbreviations 209-212
Appendix B: Definition of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Categories 213-214
Appendix C: Other Anthropogenic Sources of Methane 215-218
Appendix D: U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Development 219-222
Appendix E: Acknowledgment of Those Who Provided Input to the Committee 223-224
Appendix F: Common Units for Reporting Methane Concentrations and Emissions 225-226
Appendix G: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members 227-232
Appendix H: Disclosure of Conflict of Interest 233-234

Log In

Former MyNAP users: You'll need to reset your password on your first login to MyAcademies. Click "Forgot password" below to receive a reset link via email. Having trouble? Visit our FAQ page to contact support.

Members of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, or National Academy of Medicine should log in through their respective Academy portals.

Email (required)
Password (required)

Don't have an account?

Register

Email (required)
New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters
I accept the terms of use
terms of use

Thank You

Thank you for creating a MyAcademies account!

Enjoy free access to thousands of National Academies' publications, a 10% discount off every purchase, and build your personal library.

Forgot Password

Enter the email address for your MyAcademies (formerly MyNAP) account to receive password reset instructions.

Email (required)

Reset Requested

We sent password reset instructions to your email . Follow the link in that email to create a new password. Didn't receive it? Check your spam folder or contact us for assistance.

Reset Password

New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters

Reset Password

Your password has been reset.

Verify email

Verify Your Email Address

We sent a verification link to your email. Please check your inbox (and spam folder) and follow the link to verify your email address. If you did not receive the email, you can request a new verification link below

Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States (2018)

Chapter: 2 Current Inventories of Methane Emissions

Additional materials

Publication information

Suggested citation

My Academies

Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States (2018)

Chapter: 2 Current Inventories of Methane Emissions