Global releases of methane from the energy sector remain high amid record fossil fuel production and limited efforts to drive down emissions, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday.
In its annual Global Methane Tracker analysis, the agency said methane emissions associated with energy were around 120 million metric tons a year in 2024 — roughly the same as the year before. Methane is closely watched because it’s about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a climate-warming greenhouse gas over a 20-year period.
Methane reduction pledges from countries and companies cover about 80 percent of global oil and gas production, but implementation of those plans is “weak,” the IEA said. And while high-level pledges show the potential for deeper cuts, the IEA said that by comparison policies and regulations in place today would lower emissions by a smaller percentage.
“Methane emissions from fossil fuels remain at stubbornly high levels,” the IEA said in a news release.
