The World Biogas Association (WBA) has launched two online tools aimed at helping governments speed up the deployment of anaerobic digestion (AD) to meet 2030 climate targets and reduce methane emissions.
Developed under WBA’s #MakingBiogasHappen programme, the tools are designed to address policy and regulatory barriers to biogas growth. They include the Global Biogas Regulatory Framework (GBRF) – a set of policies and standards to support national biogas strategies – and the International Anaerobic Digestion Certification Scheme (ADCS International), which will provide independent certification of safety, environmental and operational performance.
WBA said the tools are intended to support the rapid development of biogas industries, particularly in countries seeking to deliver on the Global Methane Pledge, which is an international agreement where participating countries commit to collectively reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 against 2020 levels.
“Anaerobic digestion is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to cut methane emissions,” said Dr Pradeep Monga, Senior Advisor and Policy Director at WBA. “Yet adoption is often hampered by a lack of regulatory clarity and industry standards. The … programme seeks to address this.”
Initial implementation of the GBRF will begin in Brazil and India, where the framework will be adapted to local conditions. The ADCS International certification scheme will also be localised to align with national standards and legislation.
According to WBA, biogas could deliver up to 50% of the Global Methane Pledge and mitigate 10% to 13% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
The programme is supported by the Global Methane Hub, TotalEnergies and GHD.
According to the International Energy Agency, global biogas and biomethane production could more than double by 2030 under current policy plans, but reaching Net Zero would require far faster deployment. The biogas industry was valued at around $60bn globally in 2022, with growth expected to accelerate as countries adopt methane reduction strategies and circular economy models.
