Methane Fight Gains Momentum but Lags in Response
UNEP Expands Methane Tracking Beyond Oil and Gas
Nairobi: Better data is fuelling stronger action on methane emissions, with government and industry responses to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) more than 3,500 satellite methane alerts climbing from just one per cent to 12 per cent in the past year. Yet UNEP warns that action must accelerate to achieve the Global Methane Pledge target of cutting methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, according to its new report, An Eye on Methane: From Measurement to Momentum.
Historically, methane emission inventories have significantly underestimated real emissions, making empirical data a vital tool for tracking and reducing this potent driver of global warming. The fifth edition of UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) report finds that companies participating in the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0) are now set to track one-third of global oil and gas methane emissions using real-world measurements. While government and company responses to IMEO’s Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) have grown tenfold over the previous year, nearly 90 per cent of alerts remain unanswered.
Atmospheric methane continues to be the second largest driver of climate change after carbon dioxide, responsible for about one-third of the planet’s warming. “Reducing methane emissions can quickly bend the curve on global warming, buying more time for long-term decarbonization efforts, so it is encouraging that data-driven tools are helping the oil and gas industry to report on their emissions and set ambitious mitigation targets,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “But to keep the Paris Agreement targets within reach, the important progress on reporting must translate into cuts to emissions. Every company should join the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0, and both governments and operators must respond to satellite alerts – then they must act to reduce emissions.”
The OGMP 2.0, which serves as the global standard for methane measurement and mitigation in the oil and gas sector, provides the foundation for methane regulations in the European Union, the world’s largest buying market. Over the past five years, its membership has more than doubled to 153 companies across 42 countries, now covering 42 per cent of global oil and gas production. In total, one-third of this production already reports, or will soon report, emissions at the OGMP 2.0 Gold Standard—meaning that emissions are verified through real-world measurements. Among those reporting, 65 companies representing 17 per cent of global oil and gas production have achieved Gold Standard, while another 50 companies covering an additional 15 per cent have reached the Gold Standard Pathway, showing they are on track to meet full verification standards. A further 22 companies have reported emissions data but have not yet met Gold Standard criteria. This progress positions a significant share of the industry to measure and ultimately mitigate methane emissions at source.
Through its Methane Alert and Response System, UNEP has issued more than 3,500 alerts of major methane emissions across 33 countries, based on satellite monitoring and artificial intelligence-supported analysis. While only one per cent of alerts prompted responses last year, this year the rate has risen to 12 per cent. IMEO has documented 25 cases of mitigation action in ten countries since MARS was launched in 2022, including six new countries in the past year. However, with nearly 90 per cent of alerts still unanswered, UNEP stresses that governments and companies must step up their engagement to transform detection into tangible reductions. The MARS platform is also expanding to track emissions from coal mines and waste sites—sectors where measurement remains scarce but mitigation opportunities are substantial.
To close remaining gaps, IMEO is extending its scope beyond the oil and gas industry to the steel and waste sectors, where cost-effective solutions remain largely untapped. The new Steel Methane Programme targets emissions from metallurgical coal used in steelmaking, which adds roughly a quarter to the sector’s total climate footprint but can be mitigated at just one per cent of total steel cost through proven oxidation and drainage systems. Despite such low-cost solutions, metallurgical coal methane remains a neglected component of global steel decarbonisation. To address this, IMEO will establish a Steel Methane Transparency Database that combines empirical studies, satellite data and industry partnerships to deliver mine-level transparency on emissions.
IMEO has also supported 46 peer-reviewed scientific studies across six continents to close knowledge gaps in methane monitoring. These studies have tested innovative technologies for measuring emissions from oil and gas facilities and quantified methane from metallurgical coal regions. Further, IMEO is developing country-wide baseline studies to estimate methane emissions from rice cultivation and livestock, broadening understanding across agriculture—the other major methane source.
“Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Tackling it is among the fastest ways to slow global warming,” said Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing. “Europe’s groundbreaking methane regulation reflects our determination to cut emissions through credible data and transparency. Market operators are increasingly on the lookout for cleaner fuels, and verifiable emissions information is key. Credible data from UNEP’s IMEO enables standards and partnerships that make accountability the norm across global energy supply chains.”
Takehiko Matsuo, Vice-Minister for International Affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said methane mitigation begins with accurate and actionable data. “Japan’s CLEAN initiative is encouraging information exchange among industries and driving reductions across the gas value chain in partnership with the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0,” he said. “Satellite missions such as JAXA’s new GOSAT-GW will turn space-based observations into ground-level mitigation through UNEP’s Methane Alert and Response System. The Government of Japan expects IMEO to accelerate global collaboration on methane emission reductions through partnerships with governments, industries and civil society.”
The UN Environment Programme remains the leading global voice on the environment, providing leadership and fostering partnerships to protect the planet. By inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations, UNEP continues to champion credible science and data as the foundation for urgent, collective climate action.
– global bihari bureau
