Atmospheric Methane Removal

Accelerating the assessment of the viability of methane removal to inform the climate solutions portfolio.

Overview

Methane is a climate super pollutant responsible for roughly 30% (0.5˚C) of warming since pre-industrial times. Cutting methane emissions as much and as fast as possible is essential, and the benefits of doing so are well-established. But hard-to-abate sources, growing warming-induced emissions from permafrost and tropical wetlands, and potential changes to methane sinks mean that emissions reductions alone may be insufficient. We also need to assess ways to remove methane that is already in the atmosphere.

That's the frontier Spark's Methane Removal program is working to advance. Removing methane at ambient atmospheric concentrations (roughly 2 ppm) has no viable solutions yet. The field is at a very early-stage, with limited research funding, fragmented efforts, and high uncertainty about feasibility and impact. Spark is rigorously assessing which removal approaches, if any, are scientifically sound, technologically feasible, economically viable, environmentally responsible, and socially acceptable.

“Sustained removal efforts could potentially address or offset hard-to-abate anthropogenic or natural methane emissions, for which mitigation technologies are not currently available.”

- 2024 U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Report, Atmospheric Methane Removal: Development of a Research Agenda
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Strategic Levers

Spark's Methane Removal Program is organized around five strategic areas.

1. Supporting Science: We fund and synthesize cutting-edge research to rigorously assess the viability of proposed atmospheric methane removal approaches. Through strategic funding of grants and organizing the community around research roadmaps, we help build a robust scientific basis for assessing and advancing this emergent field.

2. Driving Engagement: We bring together scientists, policymakers, funders, practitioners, peer organizations, and civil society to build a shared understanding of methane removal's potential and what it will take to responsibly advance the field. Through community-building, narrative development, and outreach to funders and institutions, we work to ensure methane removal is assessed rigorously and rapidly.

3. Securing Funding: We catalyze and coordinate investment in methane removal research by cultivating philanthropic partnerships and advocating for dedicated public funding streams. Our goal is to build a diverse, durable funding ecosystem that matches the scale of the opportunity.

4. Fostering Governance: We support the development of thoughtful policy and governance frameworks to enable responsible research. Through forward-looking policy engagement and advocacy, we're creating the conditions for responsible implementation, should any methods prove viable. We champion the idea that getting governance right from the beginning is essential to earning public trust and ensuring safe, accountable progress.

5. Advancing Practical Viability and Decision Making: Beyond scientific feasibility, we evaluate cost, incentive structures, scalability, measurability, governance, and risk to inform whether and how methane removal could realistically be integrated into a broader climate solution portfolio. This work helps funders, policymakers, and the broader community make well-grounded decisions about where to invest resources.

>$8M

awarded in research funding

27

funded research projects

25+

institutions supported

4

community-driven workshops

How Might Methane Removal Work?

Methane removal is not one technology. Rather, it is a set of potential approaches that break down methane faster than nature does alone.
Atmospheric Oxidation Enhancement research focuses on enhancing nature’s largest methane sink by increasing the rate at which methane is oxidized, or “broken down,” in the atmosphere. One potential option is to increase the concentration of “detergents” in the air — like hydroxyl and chlorine radicals — that react with methane. The goal is to accelerate the conversion of methane to carbon dioxide and water, reducing climate impacts.

Ecosystem Uptake Enhancement research focuses on strengthening natural and engineered biological processes so ecosystems oxidize more methane than they do today. Potential methods include enhancing methane removal by microbes in soil, on trees, or within ecosystems more broadly, as well as introducing methane-oxidizing pathways into plants.

Methane Oxidizing Reactors research focuses on moving ambient air through engineered systems where methane is broken down. Current investigation spans a variety of reactor types using biological methods, ultraviolet light, and/or catalysts activated by heat.

Surface Coatings research focuses on applying catalytic materials to exposed surfaces — buildings or infrastructure — that oxidize methane when air passes over them, often using light-activated reactions. This approach relies on passive air contact rather than active air handling.

Grantees


Spark is supporting multiple research grants to accelerate the assessment of the viability of methane removal.

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Advisory board


Learn more about our Atmospheric Methane Removal Advisory Board

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The Experts

Latest Updates

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Open Roles In This Area

We're looking for talented, strategic, climate-motivated, and scientifically-driven colleagues to join our team at Spark, across a number of areas, including the following roles related to the Methane Removal program:

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