Methane: From Super Pollutant to Climate Solution

Why methane matters for climate change

• Methane is responsible for nearly one-third or about 0.5°C of the warming we are seeing today.
• Over its first 20 years in the atmosphere, methane traps 86 times more heat than carbon dioxide (CO₂).
• Methane lasts about 12 years in the atmosphere, while carbon dioxide can last hundreds of years.
• Methane’s short lifespan and strong warming potential mean that action to reduce its emissions can slow the rate of warming and provide social and environmental benefits within a few decades.
• Methane levels in the atmosphere are now more than two-and-a-half times higher than before the industrial era.

This means methane is a major driver of climate change right now, not just in the future.

Where methane comes from

Over 60% of methane emissions come from human activity, most of which stem from three sectors:

1. Agriculture (about 40%): from activities including livestock rearing, animal manure, dairy production and rice cultivation.
2. Fossil fuels (about 35%): from oil, gas, and coal production, processing, and transport, including leakages.
3. Waste (about 20%): including from landfills and sewage.

The fossil fuel sector offers the largest potential for fast and affordable methane cuts.

Methane and fossil fuels

• Reducing methane emissions from the fossil fuels sector is the easiest way to reduce human-caused methane emissions.
• Methane is emitted through leaks, venting and flaring during the extraction, processing and transport of coal, oil and gas. Abandoned oil and gas wells and coal mines can also cause methane emissions. Poorly sealed or vented sites can leak methane for years.
• More than 75% of methane emissions from oil and gas operations and roughly 50% from coal today can be reduced using existing technology.
• 80% of oil and gas methane abatement measures and up to 98% of coal measures could be implemented at a negative or low cost.
• Deploying all available strategies to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas industry through 2030 would cost less than 2% of the net income earned by this industry in 2022.

Why cutting methane is one of the fastest climate solutions

Cutting methane works fast because methane does not stay in the atmosphere for long compared to other greenhouse gases.

• Rapid cuts in methane emissions from fossil fuels could avoid up to 0.1°C of global warming by 2050.
• That climate benefit is greater than taking every car and truck in the world off the road immediately.
• To keep global warming below 1.5°C, methane cuts from fossil fuels will need to deliver about half of all methane reductions needed by 2030.

The benefits of cutting methane emissions

Methane contributes to ground-level ozone and pollution, which is harmful to human health. Therefore, reducing methane emissions could:

• Prevent nearly 1 million premature deaths due to ozone exposure.
• Avoid 90 million tonnes of crop losses due to ozone and climate changes.
• Prevent 85 billion hours of lost labour due to extreme heat.
• Deliver about $260 billion (USD) in direct economic benefits.

Today, methane pollution already causes a loss of about 400 million hours of work every year due to extreme heat and health impacts.

Global momentum on methane action

Launched in 2021, the Global Methane Pledge aims to reduce global human-caused methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.

• Nearly 100 countries are engaged in methane action planning.
• 127 countries now include methane policies in their climate plans.
• New regulations and initiatives—such as the European Union’s methane regulation and import standard—are helping drive action across borders.

Reaching the Global Methane Pledge target is still technically possible if proven methane solutions are fully implemented this decade.

The world is making progress on cutting methane emissions, but reductions are not yet happening at the pace or scale needed.

• Existing national commitments could reduce global methane emissions by about 8% below 2020 levels by 2030.
• Full implementation of all proven technical measures could deliver a 32% reduction by 2030, meeting the GMP target.
• 72% of methane mitigation potential lies in G20+ countries, which are responsible for the majority of global methane emissions.

The bottom line

Methane is a powerful driver of climate impacts, but it is also one of our biggest opportunities to tackle this crisis. By cutting methane emissions we can:

• Slow global warming quickly..
• Reduce pollution and protect human health.
• Save crops and the livelihoods that depend on them.

Reducing methane emissions, especially those from fossil fuels, is one of the fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective ways to tackle the climate crisis today.