Global Methane Status Report 2025: UNEP Mid-Term Review
Why in the news
UNEP released the Global Methane Status Report 2025, reviewing midway progress on the Global Methane Pledge (GMP).
Key facts
- Baseline (CLE): 369 Mt CH₄ in 2030, 4% lower than 2021 projections, helped by slower gas growth and waste rules in Europe and North America.
- Ambition gap: NDCs and Methane Action Plans give only 8% below 2020.
- Full technically feasible cuts (MTFR): 32% or 131 Mt by 2030, avoiding 0.2°C warming by 2050 and 180,000 premature deaths yearly.
- Over 80% of that potential is low-cost; waste biogas could save $9 billion a year.
- G20+ nations: 65% of emissions, 72% of potential.
| Sector | Share | Sources | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 42% | Livestock enteric fermentation (76%), rice (21%) | Better livestock management, paddy aeration |
| Energy | 38% | Oil, gas, coal mining | Leak detection and repair, venting ban |
| Waste | 20% | Landfills, wastewater | Source separation, gas capture |
Impacts and gaps
- By 2030, ozone could cause 24,000 premature deaths, 2.5 Mt crop loss and 6.9 million lost labour hours yearly.
- Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia may see methane rise 16% by 2030 and 53% by 2050.
- Fossil-sector underreporting: measurements can double official figures.
- Finance gap: $13.7 billion tracked a year versus $127 billion needed.
Recommendations
- Direct measurement (satellites, aerial surveys); EU Methane Regulation and OGMP 2.0 as models.
- No-regret steps: LDAR, venting ban, waste separation, no open burning, rice aeration.
- Concessional finance; repurpose part of $635 billion harmful farm subsidies.
- Quantified NDC methane targets, plus decarbonisation, demand-side steps and sustainable diets for a 53% cut by 2050 (1.5°C aligned).
Exam angle
- Publisher: UNEP; GMP goal: 30% by 2030.