Marcelo Mena-Carrasco

Global average temperatures have risen 1.1°C since the Industrial Revolution. And about a third of the blame can be attributed to methane emissions. To tackle this powerful pollutant, Marcelo Mena, (Chile’s former environment minister from 2014 to 2018), is leading the charge as CEO of the Global Methane Hub–an alliance of more than 20 organizations and philanthropies around the world that aims to reduce methane emissions by more than 30% by 2030. This summer, the Global Methane Hub announced over $300 million in new funding to support initiatives to curb methane emissions. The group’s funding also supported the Environmental Defense Fund’s MethaneSAT, launched earlier this year to spot methane leaks around the globe.

What is the single most important action you think the public, or a specific company or government (other than your own), needs to take in the next year to advance the climate agenda?

Governments need to submit methane-specific targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions, [a country’s climate action plan as outlined under the Paris Agreement] to keep the 1.5C target alive.

What’s one sustainability effort you personally will try to adopt in the next year, and why?

Reduce red meat and dairy [consumption] because of both environmental and health reasons.

Where should climate activism go in the next year?

[Towards] promoting a food system that is both healthy for people and the planet.

If you could stand up and talk to world leaders at the next U.N. climate conference, what would you say? Mitigating methane is the fastest, most effective way to reduce [global] temperatures in the short term. Tackling methane brings local development benefits, improving energy and food security.