Newscasts - Methane emission sources under the spotlight at COP30
29/10/2025 18:43
Click the following link to watch video: https://share.newscasts.refinitiv.com/link?entryId=1_dtbfrd12&referenceId=tag:reuters.com,2025:newsml_RW779929102025RP1_K15&pageId=Newscasts Source: 'Reuters - General news videos' Description: Almost 90% of satellite-detected methane leaks flagged to governments and oil and gas companies are not being acknowledged, the UN said ahead of the COP30 climate talks next month. Rachel Faber reports. Short Link: https://lseg.group/3WrC23x Video Transcript: The United Nations is sounding the alarm on supercharged methane gas emissions ahead of its COP30 climate talks in Brazil. It said almost 90% of satellite-detected methane leaks flagged to governments and oil and gas companies are not being acknowledged. The International Methane Emissions Observatory, which integrates over 17 satellites to observe plumes, got a 12% response rate from 3,500 alerts from leaks detected across the oil and gas sector. The UN said that shows limited progress from last year's response rate when only 1% of alerts resulted in action to prevent them. Carbon dioxide is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is the second. Methane stays in the atmosphere for a shorter time than CO2, but it is much more effective at trapping heat. That's why scientists consider cutting methane emissions to be the fastest way to tackle climate change in the near term. More than 150 countries have signed a 2021 pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% this decade. The UN said it documented 25 instances where a notification led to a large emissions event being fixed. In early October, investors representing over $5.3 trillion of assets urged the European Union not to weaken its methane emissions law, following concerns the EU might relax the rules to facilitate increased US liquefied natural gas imports, as part of the bloc’s efforts to smooth trade tensions. The International Methane Emissions Observatory says methane leaks from the oil and gas sector offer the most potential for mitigation. It also says it plans to expand its detection work to include emissions from other major sources, including coal for steel production, waste, and agriculture.