The U.N. warns that global methane reductions have lagged, but faster action could yield quick climate benefits because methane persists for only about a dozen years. If governments meet current pledges, methane could fall roughly 8% below 2020 levels by 2030, versus a projected 13% rise with no action — still short of the 30% goal. Experts disagree on the outlook, but officials note that about 72% of human methane is tied to fossil fuels and that capturing flared or leaked gas could both cut emissions and save money.
UN: Methane Emissions Still Rising — Near‑Term Cuts Possible if Countries Deliver on Pledges
The U.N. warns that global methane reductions have lagged, but faster action could yield quick climate benefits because methane persists for only about a dozen years. If governments meet current pledges, methane could fall roughly 8% below 2020 levels by 2030, versus a projected 13% rise with no action — still short of the 30% goal. Experts disagree on the outlook, but officials note that about 72% of human methane is tied to fossil fuels and that capturing flared or leaked gas could both cut emissions and save money.
10:11 AM, 11/18/2025Environment
BELEM, Brazil — Methane emissions still climb, but quick cuts could slow warming
Global efforts to rein in methane — a powerful but short‑lived greenhouse gas — have so far matched the slow progress seen on carbon dioxide, U.N. officials said Monday. Still, they expressed cautious optimism that accelerated action over the next five years could deliver meaningful reductions.
Methane’s climate leverage: Martina Otto, who leads the U.N.'s climate and clean‑air work on methane, described the gas as a potential “hand brake” on rising greenhouse pollution and temperatures. Methane from fossil fuels traps nearly 30 times the heat of carbon dioxide on a 100‑year basis, and because methane typically remains in the atmosphere for roughly a dozen years, rapid cuts can produce faster climate benefits than reductions in CO2.
If countries follow through on the emissions reductions pledged in their climate plans, Otto said, global methane emissions in 2030 would be about 8% below 2020 levels. By contrast, with no additional action those emissions are projected to rise roughly 13% by 2030. Both outcomes fall short of the 2021 U.N. global methane pledge goal of a 30% reduction.
“We've gained momentum,” Otto said. “We can still make it, but it takes a whole lot of additional effort.”
Independent analysts offered a more cautious outlook. Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, said his group's Climate Action Tracker anticipates methane emissions will remain largely flat between now and 2030 rather than fall — an outcome he noted would still be preferable to the expected increases in CO2.
Officials emphasized that much of human‑caused methane is linked to fossil fuels: roughly 72% of anthropogenic methane is associated with fossil fuel production and use. In many cases companies could reduce emissions and save money by capturing gas that is currently flared or vented at drilling sites, but the absence of collection and transport infrastructure and competing investment priorities can make capture less attractive than new exploration, Otto said.
“This report shows some very hard truths but also a sliver of hope,” said Paul Behrens of Oxford University. European Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen added that the past five years have seen "unparalleled action" to cut methane, but cautioned that persistence is necessary: "It takes time to see results. Persistence and patience are key."
Why it matters: Because methane breaks down much faster than CO2, even modest near‑term reductions can slow warming more quickly — giving policymakers a valuable tool while longer‑term CO2 reductions continue.
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