The establishment of the Global Methane Pledge in 2021 has accelerated cleanup efforts, with 159 countries signing on to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. However, many countries are still falling behind on their methane-cutting pledges. The pledge was led by the United States and the European Union, and aims to address the significant impact of methane on global temperatures, with methane contributing around 30% of the increase in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution.
Fossil fuels contribute around one-third of the methane emissions from human activity, with record production of oil, gas, and coal, combined with limited mitigation efforts, keeping emissions above 120 million tonnes annually. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) annual Global Methane Tracker shows that abandoned wells and mines accounted for roughly 8 Mt of methane emissions in 2024, demonstrating the severity of leaving them unplugged. The IEA also estimates that global energy-related methane emissions are about 80% higher than those reported by countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Some countries contribute heavily to the world's methane emissions, particularly oil-rich countries that have not effectively decommissioned fossil fuel operations for decades. A 2023 assessment revealed that Turkmenistan was the worst country for methane mega-leaks, with some of its "super-emitters" leaking tonnes of methane every hour. The assessment showed that the methane emissions alone from Turkmenistan's two main fossil fuel fields contributed more to global heating in 2022 than the United Kingdom's entire carbon emissions.
In response to the findings, Turkmenistan has approved a massive clean-up project, plugging its mega-leaks and halting eight leaks by repairing corroded pipes, faulty wells, and failing flares. The UN Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) has delivered 192 alerts of methane plumes to Turkmenistan over the last year, with the country responding to around 20% of the alerts with on-the-ground information about the leaks and potential plans to fix them.
Other countries in the region are also taking action, with Kazakhstan stopping eight leaks following alerts. Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina have 100% response rates to MARS alerts, while Libya and Azerbaijan have high response rates. Meanwhile, the United States, Iran, Russia, and China failed to respond to any alerts. The UN tracking has encouraged countries to plug leaks, with Meghan Demeter, the programme manager of MARS, stating that the mitigation cases are a proof point of what can be done with satellite data.
The Global Methane Pledge has helped raise awareness of the issue, but significant work is needed to reduce methane emissions. The IEA's Global Methane Tracker shows that some regions of the world, such as Europe, report their methane emissions far more accurately than other parts. However, some parts of the world have little or no measurement-based data on methane emissions, making it difficult to track progress.
As countries continue to work towards reducing methane emissions, the example set by Turkmenistan and other countries in the region may encourage others to follow suit. With the UN's MARS system providing critical data and alerts, countries can take action to address the issue and reduce their methane emissions.
Key points
- Turkmenistan, one of the world's biggest methane polluters, is taking steps to plug its mega-leaks and reduce methane emissions.
- The Global Methane Pledge, signed by 159 countries, aims to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.
- Some countries, including the United States, Iran, Russia, and China, have failed to respond to alerts from the UN's MARS system.
