The upcoming UN climate talks in the UAE are anticipated to focus heavily on methane emissions, especially in light of China’s recent commitment to include this potent greenhouse gas in its 2035 climate plans. However, experts believe that this development may not significantly impact India, as the country is already implementing initiatives centered around agriculture that have climate co benefits.
Methane is a powerful but short-lived climate pollutant that accounts for a third of net warming since the Industrial Revolution
Rapidly reducing methane emissions from energy, agriculture, and waste can achieve near-term gains in our efforts in this decade for decisive action and is regarded as the single most effective strategy to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5˚C within reach while yielding co-benefits, including improving public health and agricultural productivity.
The Global Methane Pledge (GMP) is a voluntary framework supporting nations to take action to collectively reduce methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. This could eliminate over 0.2˚C of warming by 2050.
The GMP was launched on the sidelines of COP26 in 2021 by Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) partners United States and European Commission. The GMP now has over 150 country participants, representing nearly 50% of global anthropogenic methane emissions.
The Pledge aims to catalyze global action and strengthen support for existing international methane emission reduction initiatives to advance technical and policy work that will serve to underpin Participants’ domestic actions.
The Pledge also recognizes the essential roles that the private sector, development banks, financial institutions and philanthropy play in supporting the implementation of the Pledge and welcomes their efforts and engagement.
The EU and the US jointly launched the “Global Methane Pledge” in 2021 to reduce worldwide methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, compared to the 2020 levels. Around 150 countries have signed on, but China, India and Russia are among the prominent emitters yet to get on board. Earlier this month, the US and China — the world’s top two carbon emitters — pledged to include methane in their 2035 national plans to reduce emissions of planet heating gases.
