To limit the scale and duration of a 1.5°C temperature overshoot, the UN Secretary General launched a Global Call to Action on Methane to support the Global Methane Pledge.
- Global Methane Pledge (India is not a signatory): A US and EU-led initiative launched in 2021 to collectively reducing global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
- Methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for nearly one-third of global warming and is around 80 times more powerful than CO₂ in terms of warming the climate system.
- However, Methane remains in the atmosphere for only about a decade, while CO₂ for remains for centuries.
Call to Action on Methane
For Fossil Fuels (38% of global anthropogenic methane emissions) | ||
Action 1: Fix leaks and eliminate routine flaring and cold venting
Ban routine flaring and venting, enforce leak detection, and use satellite monitoring to immediately address super-emitter events. | Action 2: Make methane measurable, reportable and verifiable
Require direct, asset-level measurement of emissions and make the data verifiable and public. | Action 3: Adopt a science-based global methane standard
Create an internationally recognized methane intensity benchmark to establish a market for near-zero-methane fossil fuels. |
For Agriculture (42% of global anthropogenic methane emissions) | ||
Action 4: Produce food more efficiently with less methane
Scale up low-methane practices for livestock and rice cultivation while supporting smallholder farmers. | Action 5: Halve per-capita food waste and reduce food loss
Halve per-capita food waste at the consumer level and reduce post-harvest losses across the supply chain. | Action 6: Reform incentives and redirect finance and subsidies
Shift harmful agricultural subsidies and finance toward methane-reducing, climate-resilient farming practices. |
For Waste (20% of global anthropogenic methane emissions) | ||
Action 7: Phase out open dumping and uncontrolled landfills
Establish clear timelines to phase out uncontrolled landfills and open dumpsites, especially in urban areas. | Action 8: Capture methane from waste and wastewater
Deploy technologies to capture methane from wastewater and organic waste to generate electricity, heat, or fuel. | Action 9: Build circular, low-methane urban waste systems
Mandate the separation of organic waste at the source and invest heavily in recycling and composting. |
