[3] Through international cooperation, GMI seeks to reduce global methane emissions, the second largest contributor to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, in order to enhance economic growth, promote energy security, improve the environment, and reduce greenhouse gases.

The original partnership was formed at a Ministerial Meeting in Washington, D.C. when 14 national governments formally committed to reduce methane emissions from key sectors.

The Initiative complements other international agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

[6] The partnership focuses on mitigating methane emitted during the decomposition of livestock manure and the organic components in agro-industrial wastewater.

The subcommittee works with members of the international community to install anaerobic digestion systems and biogas production technology in agricultural regions around the world.

Anaerobic digesters turn livestock and agro-industrial waste—otherwise a large source of methane emissions—into biogas for use on farms or within the local community.

The subcommittee works with project members to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas activities.

Through GMI, cumulative methane emission reductions have totalled more than 159 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e).

* Founding partner from 2004 Gas Cogeneration Project in Poland: In 2011, GMI funded a feasibility study showing that it was economically feasible to extract methane from the abandoned Zory Coal Mine in Poland for conversion to liquefied natural gas.

Based on their findings, LAWMA developed a landfill gas energy project, which provides a reliable source of electricity to local residents.