The Global Methane Initiative (GMI)

The Global Methane Initiative was launched by US Environmental Protection Agency in November 2004 under its former name (Methane to Markets Partnership) and currently has 43 partner countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  The initiative which involves international public-private entities seeks to advance cost effective, short-term methane abatement and recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source in the following five sectors:

• Agriculture,
• Coal mines,
• Municipal solid waste,
• Oil and gas systems, and
• Wastewater

The Initiative has the overarching objectives of reducing informational, institutional and other market barriers to project development through the development of tools and resources, training and capacity building, technology demonstrations and direct project support.
GMI efforts provide a number of important environmental and economic co-benefits such as:

• Reducing GHG emissions in the near term
• Stimulating local economic growth
• Creating new sources of affordable alternative energy
• Improving local air and water quality, with associated public health benefits, and
• Increasing industrial worker safety