Methane emissions from the energy sector remained near a record high last year, but substantial policies and regulations announced in recent months, as well as fresh pledges stemming from the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, have the potential to put them into decline soon, according to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) analysis.

An update to its Global Methane Tracker provides the first comprehensive assessment of global methane emissions since COP28 concluded in December. The report finds that the production and use of fossil fuels resulted in close to 120 million tonnes of methane emissions in 2023, a small rise compared with 2022.

Emissions from methane are responsible for almost a third of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution and to limit global warming to 1.5 C methane emissions from fossil fuels need to decline by 75 percent this decade, according to IEA analysis.

With efforts to cut methane emissions expected to accelerate in 2024 and beyond, with COP28 ushering in a step-change in ambition, this target could be reached. If all methane pledges made by countries and companies to date are implemented in full and on time, it would be sufficient to cut methane emissions from fossil fuels by 50 per cent by 2030, the new analysis finds. Meanwhile, satellites continue to bring the world’s understanding of methane emissions and their sources into sharper focus. Greater transparency from improving technology will make it easier to identify large leaks and address them quickly.

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