Rethinking Global Climate Ambitions in the Face of Arctic Methane Emissions

Rapid warming in the Arctic - three to four times faster than the global average - is accelerating the release of Arctic methane. Total methane and carbon emissions from thawing permafrost and other sources remain uncertain and largely unaccounted for in global carbon budgets, rendering countries’ emissions targets inaccurate. Despite these uncertainties, even moderate projections for Arctic methane emissions could undermine the world’s ability to cap warming at 2 degrees Celsius, emphasizing the urgent need for action. This session will provide insights into the work being done by Harvard and its partners to shrink these knowledge gaps, and the policy actions that the United States and other countries could take to incorporate Arctic methane emissions into their climate policy.