An Eye on Methane: International Methane Emissions Observatory - 2021 Report

Methane Matters - Curbing methane emissions from fossil fuels matters. And it matters under any plausible decarbonisation scenario. UNEP promotes a rapid transition away from fossil fuels but recognizes the climate importance of curbing methane emissions during the transition. This first annual report from the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) describes how this can be done and what progress has been made, particularly in the energy sector. Methane contributes to at least a quarter of today’s climate warming, and its concentration continues to rise rapidly in large part from anthropogenic sources. In particular, emissions from oil, gas, and coal are the most amenable to be cost effectively abated by actors who have sufficient agency to act promptly. The other two main sources of agriculture and waste are also in IMEO’s scope, but they will require a different Theory of Change and the creation of frameworks to collect data. Consequently, IMEO’s initial focus is on emissions from the fossil sector.