AI Helps Cut Methane Emissions Equivalent to Removing 24 Million Cars
Artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating global efforts to curb methane emissions by turning satellite data into rapid climate action, delivering emissions reductions comparable to taking nearly 24 million gasoline-powered passenger cars off the road for a year, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report, ‘Spotlighting Opportunity: How Artificial Intelligence is Accelerating Methane Action’, highlights how UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) uses AI through its Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) to detect major methane leaks and quickly notify governments and companies. Since becoming fully operational in 2024, the system has supported more than 40 methane mitigation actions worldwide.
With more than 30 satellites continuously collecting methane data, AI has become essential in processing the vast volume of information. UNEP said AI-assisted workflows enable analysts to process 12 to 15 times more data while maintaining scientific accuracy.
The technology identified 80–85 percent of confirmed methane emissions before expert review, contributing to the mitigation of sources estimated to have released 1.2 million tonnes of methane.
“Methane is only the beginning,” said Martin Krause, Director of UNEP’s Climate Change Division. “The real lesson from this work is that AI can help convert the explosion of environmental data into practical action. By combining scientific expertise with lightweight and energy-efficient AI tools, we can respond faster not only to methane emissions, but to a wide range of environmental challenges.”
UNEP said its methane-monitoring models are designed to be lightweight and energy-efficient, requiring modest computing resources while significantly expanding monitoring capacity.
The report comes as governments and companies face increasing pressure to meet commitments under the Global Methane Pledge and the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Methane, which urges countries to respond to 80 percent of methane alerts issued through MARS.
Methane is about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period but remains in the atmosphere for only about a decade. UNEP says reducing emissions from the fossil fuel, agriculture and waste sectors offers one of the fastest ways to slow global warming while also improving air quality and boosting crop yields.
Since 2023, MARS has analysed more than 1.3 million satellite observations, using AI to distinguish methane leaks from environmental noise. The system is also expanding beyond the oil and gas sector to monitor emissions from coal and waste.
Despite AI’s growing role, UNEP stressed that human oversight remains central. Every AI-flagged methane detection is independently reviewed by IMEO analysts before alerts are issued, ensuring scientific accuracy.
UNEP is also making its datasets and code publicly available to help researchers, governments and other organizations strengthen methane monitoring and accelerate global emissions reductions.
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