In this research seminar, Dr. Pamela M. Franklin will discuss recent developments in methane mitigation at a global scale while highlighting how research institutions can support next stages in the field.
Abstract: Methane has emerged as a critical focus of global climate action due to its high potential for near-term warming impact and relatively short atmospheric lifetime. While often described as the “fastest lever” to slow warming, methane mitigation presents a complex mix of technical, economic, and institutional challenges across energy systems, agriculture, and waste management. This seminar examines what recent science, policy, and implementation experience reveal about methane mitigation at the global scale: where emissions originate by sector and geography, where cost-effective solutions are already available, and how advances in measurement and monitoring are reshaping our understanding of real-world emissions. The talk will highlight unresolved challenges and identify how research institutions can help bridge science, policy, and practice in the next phase of methane mitigation.
Pamela M. Franklin, Ph.D. is a climate and methane policy expert with more than 20 years of experience advancing practical strategies to reduce methane and other short-lived climate pollutants in the United States and internationally. Her work has focused on translating scientific and technical analysis into effective policy frameworks, partnerships, and implementation approaches that deliver real-world emissions reductions. She spent the majority of her career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, serving in senior leadership roles within the Climate Change Division, including as Chief of the Methane Partnerships Branch. In this capacity, she worked across the oil and gas, waste, agriculture, and coal sectors, engaging with governments, industry, NGOs, and international partners on methane mitigation, measurement, and policy design. She has contributed to global climate science and policy processes, including as a Lead Author for the energy chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Dr. Franklin holds a Ph.D. from the Energy & Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, and engineering degrees from Stanford University and Princeton University.