The past few years have seen growing international momentum to address methane emissions.

Over 100 countries, including Australia, have signed the Global Methane Pledge – an initiative to reduce global methane emissions by 30 per cent on 2020 levels by 2030.

Methane is a greenhouse gas and the second largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.

Nikolai Drahos is a Sir Roland Wilson scholar from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Through his PhD thesis, he is investigating the urgent challenge of reducing methane emissions.

“If we don’t deal with methane emissions, we won’t be able to stay on track for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius – which is the global target we are striving for under the Paris Agreement,” explains Nikolai.

Nikolai’s research will focus on reducing methane emissions from the fossil fuel and agriculture industries, using case studies from several leading jurisdictions like the United States, the EU, Canada and New Zealand.

“I am looking to understand why we are where we today. Diagnosing why we fail on climate policy alerts us to pitfalls. Successful examples can be translated to new contexts.”

Nikolai believes policymakers need to find ways to secure support from business for climate policy reforms.

“Business is an important stakeholder for government and the public service. Understanding business dynamics and preferences is critical for environmental and climate policymaking.”

“I hope to find ways in which climate change policy can be taken forward in a way consistent with political and industry realities.

The Sir Roland Wilson Scholarship is a three-year, full pay scholarship for PhD research at ANU for high performing EL1 and EL2 APS employees.

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Image: Kelly Chen