Methane: the climate emergency brake - local action on potent pollutants

Methane is one of the most powerful - and overlooked - drivers of climate change. In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, we sit down with Ken Alex, former senior policy advisor to California Governor Jerry Brown and current leader at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE), to explore why methane reduction is one of the fastest ways to slow global warming.Ken shares how his work on international and subnational climate policy led to the creation of the Subnational Methane Action Coalition (SMAC), a global partnership of state and regional governments working to cut methane emissions across key sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, landfills, and waste. We discuss why methane is up to 80 times more potent than CO₂ in the short term, how satellite monitoring and data innovation are transforming accountability, and why states and local governments are uniquely positioned to deliver real, near-term climate results.From reducing food waste and fixing methane leaks to deploying low‑cost solutions like landfill bio‑covers, this conversation highlights practical, scalable strategies that can make an immediate impact. If you want to understand why methane matters, and how policy, technology, and collaboration can drive rapid climate progress - this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.