COP30: New Methane Report Warns of Rising Emissions, Calls for Urgent Global Action

COP30: New Methane Report Warns of Rising Emissions, Calls for Urgent Global Action

By Gloria Sarauniya Usman

ABUJA, NIGERIA November, 2025 - A new Global Methane Status Report released at COP30 in Belém has warned that although progress has been made since the Global Methane Pledge was launched in 2021, current efforts remain insufficient to meet the target of a 30% reduction by 2030. The report, produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), shows that methane emissions remain on an upward trajectory despite recent policy gains and market shifts.

According to the report, updated projections indicate that 2030 methane levels will be lower than earlier forecasts due to stronger regulations in the waste sector, tightening energy policies and slower growth in natural gas demand. However, it stresses that only full-scale deployment of proven technologies—such as leak detection, plugging of abandoned wells, improved rice cultivation practices and organic waste treatment—can deliver the emissions cuts needed to meet the pledge.

Ministers attending the Global Methane Pledge Ministerial urged rapid, coordinated action across the energy, agriculture and waste sectors, emphasizing that the tools and technologies for achieving deep methane cuts already exist. They also called for increased transparency and stronger reporting systems to help countries track progress and close remaining gaps.

The report highlights that more than 80% of methane reduction potential by 2030 can be achieved at low cost, with the energy sector alone accounting for 72% of this opportunity. It adds that full implementation of available measures could prevent over 180,000 premature deaths annually and avert millions of tonnes of crop losses worldwide. Major economies—including G20+ countries—hold the greatest potential for meaningful reductions, the report notes.

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen and other global leaders stressed that decisions taken over the next five years will determine whether the world can curb methane fast enough to slow global warming, protect public health and strengthen food security. They urged countries to convert ambition into action, warning that the window for impactful methane reductions is rapidly closing.