The Ministerial announced that 150 countries have signed the Pledge launched at the Glasgow Climate Summit last year. It also announced that 95% of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) either include methane or will do so by the next revision, and that 50 countries have developed national methane plans or plan to do so.

These 50 include Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Norway, US and the EU – which represents 27 Member States – which have published plans in the last year plus countries that have committed to publish plans by COP28 or begin developing plans.

The Ministerial also launched pathways to tackle emissions from the waste and agriculture sectors. The agriculture pathway is largely focused on improving the efficiency of livestock production which will not impact emissions if livestock numbers continue to grow.

While not a signatory to the Pledge, China’s Special Envoy on climate change, Xie Zhenhua, also made a surprise appearance to update on China’s methane plans.

Experts say governments are making progress but lack a sense of urgency and need to focus on phasing out the major sources of methane – fossil fuels, industrial livestock farming and landfilling of organic waste – rather than the technical fixes and voluntary initiatives offered under the Pledge.

Tackling methane – a short lived but potent greenhouse gas – is key to limiting global heating to 1.5C

Expert spokespeople – Quotes and Contacts

Nusa Urbancic, Campaigns Director at Changing Markets said:

“Where is the sense of urgency? Governments must move faster to cut emissions if they are to deliver on the Pledge. 2030 is just eight years away and the window of opportunity is closing.

Getting to grips with livestock methane is critical. Our research shows that just 15 meat and dairy companies emit more methane than Russia or Germany. Governments need to back a shift away from the mass industrial production of livestock – not pin their hopes and our future on voluntary net zero targets that enable these companies to carry on with business as usual.”

Contact at COP27: nusa.urbancic@changingmarkets.org, WhatsApp +44 7479 015 909, interviews in French and English. Emissions Impossible; Methane Edition which calculates the methane emissions of 15 meat and dairy companies for the first time is available here.

Mariel Vilella, Global Climate Program Director at Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) said:

“While we welcome the fact that governments are starting to acknowledge the outsized importance of addressing methane, the lack of action on waste frankly stinks. 20% of all methane emissions primarily comes from throwing organic waste into landfills. Therefore the simplest, easiest, fastest solution is not fancy tech-fixes, but to stop putting organic waste in landfills in the first place. With the right strategies in place, we can reduce methane emissions in the waste sector by as much as 95% by 2030, which is an opportunity that we can’t afford to miss.”

Contact at COP: Mariel Vilella mariel@no-burn.org or +44 7847 079154

Kim O’Dowd, Campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency said:

“We have only a few years to give humanity a shot at staying within a 1.5°C global temperature rise and we have no time for more pledges or declarations. What the world desperately needs now are real actions and commitments – something far more meaningful to address the ongoing crisis. We cannot wait for another Climate Summit to deliver on the promises made with the Global Methane Pledge. Negotiations for a global methane agreement have to start now, with concrete and binding objectives, mandatory reporting, monitoring and verification, national actions plans and targeted financial support to ensure implementation.”

Contact at COP: kimodowd@eia-international.org or WhatsApp +4736898907