Isometric has released a draft protocol for superpollutant reduction via Landfill Methane Flaring and Utilization for public consultation. This protocol outlines requirements and procedures for projects that capture and destroy methane from landfill sites before it reaches the atmosphere. This is Isometric's first protocol for superpollutant reduction.
Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas that has caused approximately 30% of global warming to date. Over a 100-year period, one tonne of methane has the same impact on global warming as almost 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Landfills are a major source of these emissions: every year, an amount of methane equivalent to 900 million tonnes of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as organic waste decomposes in landfill sites.
Landfill methane reduction projects install and operate gas collection systems that capture landfill gas produced as organic waste decomposes in anaerobic, or low-oxygen, conditions. The collected gas can then be used productively to generate electricity or produce heat, or destroyed through high-efficiency flaring. In both cases, the methane is oxidized to carbon dioxide, which significantly reduces its negative climate impact.
The Landfill Methane Flaring and Utilization Protocol takes a scientifically rigorous approach to monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV). Projects must directly measure how much methane they capture and destroy, robustly assess the efficiency of their capture system, and account for all emissions produced by the project and the amount of methane that would have naturally oxidized without the project.
After 2030, the protocol includes built-in adjustments that reduce baseline emissions assumptions over time, aligned with Paris Climate Agreement principles. All projects must undergo independent third-party validation and verification, with core quantification data made publicly available on the Isometric Registry.
Jodi Manning, CEO of Cool Effect, a non-profit supporting landfill methane reduction projects, said:
"Reducing methane emissions is one of the most urgent near-term climate solutions. The launch of Isometric's first superpollutant protocol brings scientific rigor and transparency to landfill methane reduction, helping to unlock the climate impact these projects deliver."
This protocol was developed through collaboration between Isometric’s in-house Science Team and reviewers from Isometric’s independent Science Network of more than 400 academic experts and practitioners.
Isometric welcomes comments from interested buyers, suppliers, and scientists during the 30-day public consultation period ending on March 15, 2026. Contribute here.
