Methane emissions are one of the greatest contributors to climate change. Before nations can effectively reduce emissions, though, they need to find them. At Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering, PhD candidate Ju Chulakadabba works with the Wofsy group (led by Professor Steven Wofsy) on MethaneSAT, a project in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund that makes use of satellite technology to measure and locate methane emissions from oil and gas operations around the world. The data generated by MethaneSAT will allow countries and organizations to identify, manage, and ultimately reduce their methane emissions—a critical goal in the fight against global warming. In this video, Chulakadabba discusses the potency of methane compared to carbon dioxide, how MethaneSAT will work once it is officially launched next year, and the family story that inspires her research.
