In pursuant to its pledged agreement at last climate summit, COP 26 signed in Glasgow, Scotland the Gabonese Agency for Space Studies and Observations (AGEO) has just published the announcement that, in partnership with the German agency  “Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt”  (DLR) and the UN organization  “UN Environment Programme”,  it has just led a scientific mission on methane emissions in the environment.

“This scientific mission consisted in measuring the methane emissions made in the mining and oil fields using an aircraft, a real flying laboratory of the German space agency  “, we learn. This initiative is a continuation of Gabon’s commitment against global warming which led President Ali Bongo Ondimba to sign the global commitment on methane, during COP 26 held from November 1 to 13, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.

For the time being, indicates the AGEO, the team has already produced a report of the preliminary results collected from the various economic players in the oil and mining sectors. The public presentation and the final results are awaited.

According to scientists, methane is considered a dangerous air pollutant as well as a greenhouse gas, the exposure of which causes one million premature deaths each year. It is also a potent greenhouse gas, as over a 20-year period its warming effect is 80 times more potent than that of carbon dioxide.

For its contribution to saving the planet, Gabon has been involved for several years in the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment. This has resulted, among other things; the adoption of multiple reforms for the protection of its forests in particular and the adoption of a law relating to climate change. Efforts rewarded by Norway through CAFI, a fund created in 2015, and managed by the UNDP and of which Norway is the main donor. 

Thus, in 2021, Gabon received a first payment of 17 million dollars for the counterpart of the additional carbon sequestered between 2016 and 2017, thanks to the measures implemented by the country with the aim of combating deforestation.