About

IMEO is assembling a public database of empirically verified methane emissions data and connecting it to the individuals who can act to reduce emissions. The data is derived from satellites and global scientific measurement campaigns, and in the future will draw from emissions reported by companies under the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0’s (OGMP 2.0) highest quality level of reporting.​

With the empirical data provided by IMEO, countries and companies can take swift and well-targeted action to mitigate emissions. Methane data derived from direct measurements is crucial for enabling action at speed and scale, given that scientific studies have shown relying on generic emissions factors fails to capture the true size and source of emissions. Knowing how much methane is being released and from where is essential to drive credible reductions, which is the at the core of IMEO’s mission to provide open, reliable and actionable data to accelerate climate progress.​​

This beta-version of IMEO Methane Data focuses on satellite measurements of point source emissions from the energy and waste sectors. The dataset will continue to grow as more public empirical data becomes available. ​

Satellite Data​

UNEP’s IMEO pulls data from a dozen methane-detecting Earth Observation satellites to detect emissions, trace them to their source, and quantify them across the globe. Data from these satellites is publicly available, though sometimes requires specialized remote sensing expertise to properly interpret. UNEP’s IMEO provides this expertise to the global community to supply actionable data and further the goals of the Global Methane Pledge, including through data-to-action initiatives like the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS). Learn more about satellite methane detection in our FAQ. ​

Methane Science Studies

Through IMEO, UNEP has initiated 34 scientific studies around the globe to fill knowledge gaps about where methane emissions come from and what’s needed to address them. These detailed, multi-scaled methane measurements campaigns target emission sources and regions for which there is limited or no publicly available data. All studies are led by academic scientists and are published in the peer-reviewed literature. The science studies support and foster actions from government, industry, and other stakeholders to reduce emissions of methane. Learn more about past and current sponsored scientific work and how to get involved here.​​

OGMP 2.0 Data​

The Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 is UNEP’s flagship oil and gas reporting and mitigation programme. It is the only comprehensive, measurement-based international reporting framework for the sector that improves the accuracy and transparency of methane emissions reporting. Aggregated company emissions reporting from OGMP 2.0’s is one of the key components of IMEO Methane Data. Over 115 oil and gas companies are currently part of OGMP 2.0 and represent nearly 40% of global oil and gas production. Find out more here. ​