UNEP & IMEO On Tackling Methane Emissions With AI Technology
AI is being utilised for a variety of things nowadays, from reducing administrative tasks to monitoring emissions and environments.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), reducing methane emissions is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to slow global warming.
The United Nations (UN) states that methane is responsible for approximately one-third of the global warming we see today.
The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) uses AI to process large volumes of satellite data, helping governments and industries identify and reduce methane emissions more efficiently.
By combining AI, advanced technology and sustainable practices, IMEO is improving environmental monitoring and supporting global climate action.
IMEO has integrated AI into its Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) to improve methane detection and monitoring.
The system processes data from more than 30 satellite instruments, allowing it to analyse more than 1.3 million satellite measurements that would be impossible to review manually.
AI identifies potential methane emission events by filtering large volumes of satellite data and highlighting areas that require expert review.
- Over its first 20 years in the atmosphere, methane traps 86 times more heat than CO₂
Human analysts then verify every AI-generated detection, ensuring scientific accuracy and reliability throughout the monitoring process.
This human approach enables IMEO to process 12-15 times more data while maintaining rigorous standards.
“The climate crisis is accelerating and we are now on course to overshoot the 1.5°C limit in the coming years,” António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, told delegates at the super-pollutants reception during London Climate Action Week (LCAW).
“Reducing methane is a fight we can win and benefit from in our own time.
“Our task is to keep that overshoot as small, short and safe as possible and to bring temperatures back down.
“That can’t happen without drastically reducing emissions, starting now and accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels, starting now.”
By combining AI with satellite technology and expert validation, MARS can provide governments and companies with timely information to support methane mitigation efforts.
Energy-efficient AI
UNEP recognises that AI systems require energy, water, critical minerals and computing resources, making sustainability an important consideration during development.
IMEO tries to prioritises AI tools that provide measurable environmental benefits while minimising resource consumption.
“Cutting methane is the single fastest brake we can pull on a warming planet.”
The AI models used in MARS are lightweight, requiring only a single graphics processing unit (GPU) for training, then operating on standard processors that consume much less energy.
This design reduces power requirements while still delivering accurate methane monitoring on a global scale.
IMEO balances the environmental costs of AI against the climate benefits of faster methane detection and mitigation.
Embedding sustainability into the design of its AI systems demonstrates that advanced technology can support climate action without creating unnecessary environmental impacts.
Sustainability through AI innovation
IMEO continues to expand the use of AI to improve methane monitoring, data integration and climate decision-making.
- Methane levels in the atmosphere are now more than two-and-a-half times higher than before the industrial era.
The organisation combines satellite observations, scientific research and industry reporting to create high-quality datasets that strengthen AI performance and improve transparency.
AI also supports the verification of methane mitigation by confirming whether emissions have stopped after corrective action has been taken.
In the future, IMEO plans to further develop AI tools that make environmental data more accessible and actionable for governments, industries and other stakeholders.
“Multilateral development banks, climate funds, donors, insurers and development partners must join forces to put pre-arranged finance within reach of developing countries,” António said at LCAW.
“Together, let’s ensure that resilience becomes the foundation for a safer, more secure and more sustainable future and that resources are made available for that to be possible.”
The organisation also promotes equitable access to AI technologies through open datasets, partnerships and training programmes that build technical capacity.
These efforts demonstrate how responsible AI and technological innovation can contribute to long-term sustainability and global methane reduction goals.
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António Guterres
Secretary General