Global ministers gathered at COP30 in Belém issued a forceful appeal for much faster methane reductions after a major international assessment warned that current efforts remain far short of what is needed. Their call to action came immediately after the launch of the Global Methane Status Report, a comprehensive evaluation released jointly by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). The document offers the most detailed global overview of methane emissions, policy progress, and reduction opportunities since the Global Methane Pledge was initiated in 2021.
The new report underscores a troubling reality: methane emissions, which account for close to one-third of the warming driving today’s climate crisis, are still increasing worldwide. Despite this, UNEP notes that there has been some genuine progress. Updated modelling shows that projected emissions for 2030 under currently enacted legislation have fallen compared to earlier forecasts. This shift is attributed to stricter regulations in key sectors, strengthened national climate policies, and evolving energy markets—particularly a slowdown in global natural gas demand growth between 2020 and 2024.
Yet the overall message remains stark. UNEP warns that incremental improvements are nowhere near enough. Only the full deployment of already available and scientifically proven mitigation technologies will allow countries to meet the Global Methane Pledge objective of cutting global methane emissions by 30 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030. The report describes an uneven landscape: certain countries have accelerated their actions and tightened regulatory frameworks, but many others are lagging, resulting in a significant implementation gap.
In response to these findings, ministers at the Global Methane Pledge Ministerial—held in parallel with COP30—called for a dramatic acceleration in global action. They emphasised that the tools needed to deliver major methane cuts already exist. What is lacking is the speed and scale required. Officials urged governments to strengthen monitoring and reporting systems, improve transparency across industries, and establish more reliable mechanisms to track national progress.
The ministerial leaders also pressed for rapid expansion of concrete methane-cutting measures in the three key emitting sectors: energy, agriculture, and waste management. These areas, they argued, offer immediate and cost-effective opportunities to deliver deep reductions while supporting economic and public-health gains.
Julie Dabrusin, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change and a Co-Convener of the Pledge, said the findings delivered both encouragement and a clear warning. She noted that while notable advances have been made in the four years since the pledge began, the pace remains insufficient to meet climate goals. Every tonne of methane eliminated, she stressed, directly improves air quality, strengthens communities, and contributes to a more resilient global economy.
European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen echoed this message, highlighting that numerous governments and companies have already demonstrated that meaningful methane reductions are entirely achievable. The central challenge now, he said, is to rapidly replicate and scale these solutions worldwide to preserve the remaining chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
