UN: Countries far off methane-cut targets despite slower rise

Global methane emissions are rising more slowly than expected, but countries remain widely off track to meet agreed cuts by 2030, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said on Monday.

In a report released during the UN climate summit in Belém, UNEP said current national climate plans would deliver an 8% reduction in methane emissions from 2020 to 2030 — the steepest drop on record, but only a fraction of what is needed.

More than 150 countries have committed to the Global Methane Pledge, launched by the European Union and the United States at the 2021 Glasgow climate talks, aiming to cut emissions by 30% by 2030. Meeting that goal could trim at least 0.2 degrees Celsius off global warming by 2050.

UNEP said reductions could be achieved largely through low-cost measures, including faster leak detection and repair, sealing abandoned oil and gas wells, improving waste management and capturing methane from landfills. Adjusting rice cultivation methods and upgrading agricultural practices would also contribute.

The energy sector offers by far the biggest savings potential, followed by waste and agriculture, the report said.

Methane is the second-largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide (CO2) and has more than 80 times the short-term warming impact of CO2. Unlike CO2, which can remain in the atmosphere for centuries, methane breaks down after about 12 years.