国际能源署-减少化石燃料作业产生的甲烷排放（英）-2021.10-56正式版

CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030INTERNATIONALENERGYAGENCYTheIEAexaminesthefullspectrumofenergyissuesIEAmembercountries:IEAassociationcountries:includingoil,gasandcoalsupplyandAustraliaAustriaBelgiumCanadaCzechRepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceBrazilChinademand,renewableenergytechnologies,electricitymarkets,energyefficiency,accesstoenergy,demandsidemanagementandmuchmore.Throughitswork,theIEAadvocatespoliciesthatwillenhancethereliability,affordabilityandsustainabilityofenergyinitsIndiaIndonesiaMoroccoSingaporeSouthAfricaThailandHungaryIrelandItalyJapan30membercountries,8associationcountriesandbeyond.KoreaLuxembourgMexicoNetherlandsNewZealandNorwayPolandPortugalSlovakRepublicSpainPleasenotethatthispublicationissubjecttospecificrestrictionsthatlimititsuseanddistribution.ThetermsandconditionsareavailableonlineatSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnitedKingdomUnitedStates/t&c/Thispublicationandanymapincludedhereinarewithoutprejudicetothestatusoforsovereigntyoveranyterritory,tothedelimitationofinternationalfrontiersandboundariesandtothenameofanyterritory,cityorarea.TheEuropeanCommissionalsoparticipatesintheworkoftheIEASource:IEA.Allrightsreserved.InternationalEnergyAgencyWebsite:CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030AbstractAbstractTacklingmethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationsrepresentsoneofthebestnear-termopportunitiesforlimitingtheworseeffectsofclimatechangebecauseofitsshort-livednatureintheatmosphereandthelargescopeforcost-effectiveabatement,particularlyintheoilandgassector.Thisreportexplorespracticalmeasuresthatgovernmentsandcompaniescantaketosecurea75%reductioninmethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationsasenvisionedintheIEA’sNetZeroby2050Roadmap.BuildingontheestimatesofemissionsandabatementoptionsintheIEAMethaneTracker

andourRegulatoryRoadmapandToolkit,wequantifythepotentialimpactofarangeofmeasures,includingpolicyandregulatoryaction,voluntaryindustryinitiativesandimprovementsintransparencyofemissionsdata.Byidentifyingthedifferentmeasuresandapproachesthatcanlimitmethaneemissions,thisanalysisaimstoprovideinsightsandguidancefordecision-makersinthelead-uptoCOP26andbeyond.PAGE|2CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030AcknowledgementAcknowledgementsThisreportwaspreparedasacollaborativeeffortbetweentheInternationalEnergyAgency(IEA)OfficeofLegalCounsel(OLC)andtheWorldEnergyOutlookteamintheDirectorateofSustainability,TechnologyandOutlooks(STO).Thereport’sprincipalauthorswereK.C.Michaels(OLC)andTomásdeOliveiraBredariol(STO).TimGould,KateKonschnik,PascalLaffontandChristopheMcGladeprovidedinvaluablecommentsandfeedback.TanguyDeBienassis,LiaNewmanandPeterZeniewskialsoreviewedandprovidedsupport.ThanksgototheIEACommunicationsandDigitalOffice(CDO),particularlytoJadMouawad,HeadofCDO,andtoAstridDumond,TanyaDyhin,JethroMullenandThereseWalsh.NicolaClarkeditedthemanuscript.Valuablecommentsandfeedbackwerereceivedfromexternalexperts,including:JonathanBanksJeanBastinCleanAirTaskForceKayrrosTimBoersmaABNAMROManfrediCaltagironeJamesDiamondGabrielleDreyfusUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeEnvironmentandClimateChangeCanadaInstituteforGovernance&SustainableDevelopmentDagmarDroogsmaPamelaFranklinEnvironmentalDefenseFundUSEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyUSDepartmentofEnergyEnagásChristopherFreitasFranciscodelaFlorGarciaRachelHalpernUSDepartmentofEnergyEnvironmentalDefenseFundShellSteveHamburgMyriamHammamiPAGE|3CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030AcknowledgementTakahiroHiraiMinistryofEconomy,TradeandIndustry,JapanMeganKasprzakTatianaKhanbergMatthewKolesarMalcolmMcDowellTaniaMeixúsEmberInternationalGasUnionExxonMobilEuropeanCommissionEnagásRebeccaMiddletonLoïsMoorsMethaneGuidingPrinciplesCommissiondeRégulationdel'Énergie,FranceEuropeanCommissionFlorenceSchoolofRegulationWorldBankKittiNyitraiMariaOlczakMartinOswaldJulienPerezOilandGasClimateInitiativeFlorenceSchoolofRegulationBPAndrisPiebalgsMuhunthanSathiamoorthyStephanieSaunierDrewShindellCarbonLimitsDukeUniversityAnatoliSmirnovStanSokulEmberExxonMobilJonathanSternDurwoodZealkeOxfordInstituteforEnergyStudiesInstituteforGovernance&SustainableDevelopmentPAGE|4CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030ExecutiveSummaryExecutivesummaryMethanehascontributedtoaround30%oftheglobalriseintemperaturestodate,andcurbingtheseemissionsisthemosteffectivemeansavailableforlimitingglobalwarminginthenearterm.Emissionsfromfossilfueloperationspresentamajoropportunityinthisrespect,sincethepathwaystoreductionarebothclearandcost-effective.Fossilfueloperationsgeneratedcloseto120Mtofmethanein2020–nearlyone-thirdofallmethaneemissionsfromhumanactivity.Thescopeforreducingtheseemissionsisenormous.Thisisparticularlytrueintheoilandgassector,whereitispossibletoavoidmorethan70%ofcurrentemissionswithexistingtechnology,andwherearound45%couldbeavoidedatnonetcost.Reducingfossilfueldemandalonewillnotdothejobquicklyoreffectivelyenough,whichmeansearlyandconcertedabatementeffortsbygovernmentsandindustryareessential.UndertheIEA’sNetZeroEmissionsby2050Scenario,methaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationswouldneedtofallbyaround75%between2020and2030.Onlyaboutone-thirdofthisdecreaseistheresultofreducedconsumptionoffossilfuels,principallycoal.Mostofthedeclinecomesfromtherapiddeploymentofmeasuresandtechnologiestoeliminateavoidablemethaneemissionsby2030.Anumberofcountrieshavealreadyshownleadershipthroughambitiouspolicycommitmentsonmethane.Somehaveincludedmethanealongsideothergreenhousegasesaspartoftheirnationalnetzeropledges,whileothershavesetdedicatedtargetslikethenewGlobalMethanePledge,ledbytheEuropeanUnionandtheUnitedStates.Cuttingmethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationscan,andshould,playacentralroleinnationaleffortstomeetthesegoals.Inthisanalysis,weidentifythepracticalstepsthatcanbetakenbycountriesandcompaniestosecurea75%reductioninemissionsfromfossilfueloperations.BuildingontheestimatesofemissionsandabatementoptionsintheIEAMethaneTracker,wequantifythepotentialimpactofarangeofmeasures,includingpolicyandregulatoryaction,voluntaryindustryinitiatives,andimprovementsinthetransparencyofemissionsdata.Byidentifyingthedifferentmeasuresandapproaches,thisanalysisaimstoprovideinsightsandguidancefordecisionmakersinthelead-uptoCOP26andbeyond.ThisisacrucialdecadeforPAGE|7CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030ExecutiveSummaryaction.ItisvitalthatimmediatestepsbetakentocutemissionsofbothmethaneandCO2tokeepa1.5°Cstabilisationinglobalaveragetemperatureswithinreach.Triedandtestedapproachesexistforloweringmethaneemissionsfromoilandgas,andeffortstoimprovedataqualityareongoing.Asetofwell-establishedpolicytoolshavealreadybeendeployedinmultiplejurisdictionstodrivedownemissions.Theseincludeleakdetectionandrepairrequirements,technologystandardsandbansonnon-emergencyflaringandventing.Stillfurtherreductionscanbeachievedwiththehelpofmoreaccurateandreliabledataonemissionsandabatementopportunities–butthiswillrequirerobustmeasurementandreportingmechanisms.Ifallcountriesthathavealreadycommittedtoreducingmethaneemissionsweretoadoptthesepolicies,weestimatemethaneemissionsfromglobalfossilfueloperationscouldbecutbynearly15%.Countriesthathavealreadycommittedtomethanereductioncantakestepstoencouragetheirtradingpartnerstostepupabatementefforts.Thecommittedcountrieswillneedtoworktogethertoexpandtheircoalitionthroughamixofdiplomaticaction,incentives,technicalandinstitutionalsupport,andtrademeasures.Ifcommittedcountriesweretoleveragetheirbuyingpower,theycouldreducetheemissionsassociatedwiththeirimportsofoilandgas,leadingtoafurtherreductionofmorethan10%.Theoilandgasindustryhasacriticalroletoplayasacomplementtogovernmentaction,particularlywhereregulatorycapacityislimited.Agrowingnumberofcompaniesareactivelyworkingtoreducemethaneemissionsfromtheirownoperations,encouragesoundpoliciesandregulations,andprovidemoretransparentdata.Thesecompaniescanquicklyaddressemissionsacrosstheirownoperationsandhelpspreadbestpracticesacrosstheindustrybyextendingtheireffortstoventureswheretheyarenon-operatingpartners.Thiswouldacceleratemanyoftheabatementactionstargetedbygovernmentsandcoulddeliverafurtherreductioninglobalemissionsofalmost10%.Betterandmoretransparentdataaboutthesourcesofmethaneemissionsputsaddedpressureoncountriesandcompaniestoact.Measurement-basedemissionsreportinghelpsgovernmentstoregulatemoreeffectively.Italsoallowsconsumersandinvestorstoidentifytopperformersandtoworkwithcompaniesonsettingandachievingemissionsreductionsgoals.Advancesinmonitoringtechnologies,notablyfromsatellites,areakeydevelopmentinthisarea.Asthetechnologyimprovesanddataprocessingbecomesmoreagile,early-warningPAGE|8CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030ExecutiveSummarysystemsthatpinpointmethaneleakswillbecomeincreasinglyviable.Suchpowerfultoolscanfacilitatetimelyaction,especiallyincountrieswhereoversightsystemsareweak.Whenitcomestocoal,themosteffectivewaytoloweremissionsistofocusonloweringdemand.Butencouragingbettermanagementofmethaneleaksinexistingandabandonedminesisalsoimportant.UndertheNetZeroEmissionsby2050Scenario,theglobalsupplyofcoalfallsbymorethanhalfby2030,whichwouldsignificantlyreducetotalmethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperations.Ifallthecountrieswithcommitmentsonmethaneweretofollowthispath,totalemissionswoulddeclinebymorethan10%.Afurther5%ofemissionscouldbeavoidedintheneartermifmineoperatorstookstepstoutilisemoreoftheirmethaneandtolimitemissionsfromtheirabandonedsites.Abroadercoalitionisneededtoaddressmethaneemissions.Atpresent,around40%ofmethanefromfossilfueloperationsoriginatesincountrieswherestrongcommitmentstoreduceemissionshavealreadybeenmade.Soevenifthesecountriesweretodeployeverystrategylistedabovetotacklethemethaneemissionswithintheirborders,itwouldstillnotdelivera75%reductionby2030.Althoughrecentpoliciesandtechnologicaladvancesarereasonsforoptimism,thetimehascomeforallcountriesandoperatorstotackletheissueheadon.PAGE|9CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030Introduction1.IntroductionSummary

Tacklingmethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationsrepresentsoneofthebestnear-termopportunitiesforlimitingtheworsteffectsofclimatechange.Thisisduetomethane’sshortatmosphericlifetimeandtherelativelylowcostofabatement,particularlyintheoilandgassector.Basedonaveragenaturalgaspricesfrom2017-2021,weestimatethatalmost45%ofmethaneemissionsfromoilandgasoperationscanbeavoidedbytakingstepswithnonetcost.

UndertheIEA’sNetZeroEmissionsby2050Scenario,totalmethaneemissionsfromallfossilfueloperationsfallbyaround75%between2020and2030.Toachievethisgoal,aconcertedeffortwillbenecessarytoimplementallavailableabatementmeasures,whileminimisingfossilfueluse.Anumberofcountrieshavealreadysteppedforwardwithambitiouscommitmentstolowermethaneemissions.Severalcompaniesandindustrygroupshavealsomadesimilarannouncements.Yeteveniffullyimplemented,thesecommitmentswillnotdelivercutssufficienttomeetglobalclimategoals.Toachievethenecessaryreductions,countrieswithstrongcommitmentsmusttakecomprehensiveactiontoregulatemethanewithintheirborders.Well-establishedabatementpoliciescombinedwithrobust,measurement-basedreportingmechanismscanhelp.Inparallel,thisgroupmustbuildalargercoalitionofengagedactorstoaddressemissionsbeyondtheirborders.Thiswillrequireamixofdiplomaticencouragement,trademeasuresandincentives,technicalandinstitutionalsupport,andenhancedtransparency.Tacklingmethaneemissionsisoneofthemostsignificantopportunitiesavailableforlimitingthenear-termeffectsofclimatechange.ReducingmethanehasamajorandimmediateclimatebenefitbecauseithasamuchshorteratmosphericlifetimethanCO(around12yearscomparedwithcenturiesforCO),anditabsorbsmuch22moreenergywhileitremainsintheatmosphere:Overa20-yeartimeframe,methaneabsorbsmorethan80timestheenergyofacomparablevolumeofcarbondioxide.,comparedtoabout30timesovera100-yeartimeframe.PAGE|10CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030IntroductionInitsmostrecentreport,theIPCC6thAssessmentReportWorkingGroupIhighlightedtheimportanceofstrong,rapidandsustainedreductionsinmethaneemissions.TheUNEnvironmentProgrammeandClimateandCleanAirCoalition’sGlobalMethaneAssessmentconcludedthataconcertedefforttoreduce45%ofallanthropogenicmethaneemissionsby2030couldavoidnearly0.3°Cofglobalwarmingbythe2040sandreduceenvironmentalandhealthimpactsfromairpollution.Actiononmethanewillbeparticularlyimportantintheperiodto2030becausesharpcutsinmethanecandeliveranetcoolingeffectwithinarelativelyshortperiod.Thiscouldhelptokeepthedooropentoa1.5°Cstabilisationinglobalaveragetemperatures,whiletheworldpursuesreductionsinCO2.MethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationsshouldbethefirstpriorityMethanefromfossilfueloperationsrepresentsnearlyone-thirdofhuman-causedemissions.Theseemissionsrepresentoneofthebestnear-termopportunitiesforclimateactionbecausethepathwaysforreducingthemareknownandunderstood.Further,comparedtoactiononagricultureandwaste,alargerproportionoftheabatementoptionscomeatalowcost.SourcesofmethaneemissionsWetlandsAgricultureEnergyNaturalCoalAnthropogenicNaturalgasOilBioenergyWasteOtherBiomassburning04080120160200MtCH4IEA.Allrightsreserved.Note:Energysectoremissionsarefor2020andbasedonthelatestestimatesfromtheMethaneTrackerandtheWorldEnergyOutlook.Non-energysectoremissionsaretakenfromtheGlobalMethaneBudgetfortheyear2017,withnaturalsourcesrelyingontop-downmedianestimates,andotheranthropogenicsourcesrelyingonbottom-upmedianestimates.Reducingmethanefromoilandgasoperationsisparticularlypromisingbecausemorethan70%ofemissionscanbeabatedwithexistingtechnologies.Inaddition,thecostofmitigationisoftenlowerthanthemarketvalueofthegasthatiscaptured.Basedonaveragenaturalgaspricesfrom2017-2021,weestimatethatPAGE|11CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030Introductionalmost45%ofoilandgasmethaneemissionscanbeavoidedwithmeasuresthatwouldcomeatnonetcost.WhilenewinvestmentstoabatetheremainingemissionswouldtotalaboutUSD13billion,thosecostswouldbemorethanoffsetbyrevenuesfromthesaleofcapturedmethane.Theabatementopportunitiesforcoalaremorecostly,duetothelowconcentrationanddispersednatureofmethanesources.Nonetheless,significantopportunitiesremaintoreduceemissionsintheneartermusingexistingtechnology(alongsidereductionsachievedthroughlowerconsumption).Thermalcoal,whichisusedforpowergeneration,mustbereplacedbycompetitive,lowcarbonalternatives,suchasrenewables.Asforthecokingcoalusedinsteelproduction,thereisnoimmediatecost-effectivesubstitute.However,itisoftenproducedindeepmineswheremoreoptionsexistformitigation.Assuch,itsproductioncandeclinegraduallywhilekeepingemissionstoaminimum.Aconcertedeffortisessential:CuttingfossilfuelusewillnotdelivermethaneabatementfastenoughTodeliversufficientcutsinemissions,thevolumeofmethanereleasedperunitofoil,gasorcoalproducedmustfallsignificantly.Focusingonproductionanduseofthesefuelsalonewillnotbeenough,evenwiththedramaticreductionsforeseenintheIEANetZeroEmissionsby2050Scenario.(Thisscenarioprovidesa50%chanceoflimitingtheglobaltemperatureriseto1.5°C.)Reductionsinmethaneemissionsfromcoal,oilandnaturalgasintheNetZeroEmissionsby2050Scenario120Naturalgas80Oil40Coal02020IntensityProduction2030IEA.Allrightsreserved.UndertheNetZeroScenario,totalmethaneemissionsfromfossilfuelsfallbyaround75%from2020levelsby2030.Aboutone-thirdofthisdropresultsfromPAGE|12CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030Introductionoverallreductioninfossilfuelconsumption.Mostofitdependsontheaccelerateddeploymentofmitigationmeasuresandtechnologiesleadingtotheeliminationofalltechnicallyavoidablemethaneemissionsby2030.Methaneabatementeffortswillbeimportantacrossallfossilfuels.Coalconsumptiondropsbyalargeramountthanoilandgasoverthisperiod,buttheemissionsintensityofcoalalsofallssignificantly.By2030,emissionsintensitiesforcoalproductionfallbyalmost45%undertheNetZeroScenario,whileintensitiesforoilandgassupplyfallbymorethan70%.Momentumtotacklemethaneemissionsisbuilding,fromcountriesaswellascompaniesAnumberofgovernmentshavemadeearlypubliccommitmentstoreducemethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperations.Theexactformandlanguageofthesecommitmentsvaries:Somesetexplicitmethanereductiontargetsbackedbycredibleregulations,whileotherssimplyincludemethanewithinabroadernetzeropledgeornationallydeterminedactionplan.Mostrecently,theEuropeanUnion,theUnitedStates,andseveralothercountriesannouncedapledgetoreduceglobalmethaneemissionsbyatleast30percentfrom2020levelsby2030

whilealsoimprovingmethodsforquantifyingmethaneemissions.Althoughthispledgeappliestoallmethaneemissionsfromhumanactivity,itnotesthatthegreatestpotentialformitigationby2030isintheenergysector.Althoughmanycountrieshaveadoptedhigh-leveltargetssuchastheGlobalMethanePledge,specificprogressonimplementationvariesgreatly.Canada,Mexico,NorwayandtheUnitedStateshavealreadyadoptedregulationsspecificallydesignedtoreduceemissionsfromoilandgasoperations.However,evenamongthecountriesleadingthechargeonmethane,therearesignificantgapsandopportunitiestoaccelerateaction.Severalcountrieshavealsoannouncedtheirintentiontostrengthenordevelopnewregulations.TheUnitedStatesisworkingtoreviseandexpandexistingregulations,andtheEuropeanUnionissettoannouncenewlegislationonmethaneunderits2020MethaneStrategy.Meanwhile,countrieslikethePeople’sRepublicofChina(“China”hereafter)andCôted’Ivoirehavesaidtheywillprioritisethereductionofshort-livedclimatepollutantslikemethane.PAGE|13CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030IntroductionPolicycommitmentsandactionsonmethaneemissionsfromfossilfueloperationsinselectedcountriesCountryorregionTargets/actiononmethane•••SupportstheGlobalMethanePledge

(2021)Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2020)Legislationunderconsideration

toregulateoilandgasmethane(2020)ArgentinaCanada•••Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2021)Federalregulationsonoilandgasmethane

(2018)40-45%reductiontarget

foroilandgasmethaneby2025(2016)••Mostrecentfive-yearplancommitstoincreaseregulationofmethane,andothernon-CO2gases(2020)Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2060

includesallgreenhousegases(2020)China••Short-LivedClimatePollutantActionPlan

targetsareductionof50%by2030ofavoidablefugitiveemissionsfromoilandgasoperations(2020)GlobalMethaneAlliance

reductiontargetofatleast45%by2025and60-75%by2030(2019)Côted’Ivoire•••SupportstheGlobalMethanePledge

(2021)EUMethaneStrategy

toreducemethaneemissions(2020)Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2018)EuropeanUnionKoreaJapan•Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2019)••SupportstheGlobalMethanePledge

(2021)Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2020)•••SupportstheGlobalMethanePledge

(2021)Regulationsforcontrolofmethanefromhydrocarbonssector

(2018)40-45%reductiontarget

foroilandgasmethaneby2025(2016)MexicoNorway••Pledgetoreachnet-zeroby2030

includesallgreenhousegases(2016)Longstandingregulationstolimitemissions

fromoilandgasindustry••60%reductiontarget

forfugitiveoilandgasmethaneby2031(2021)GlobalMethaneAlliance

reductiontargetofatleast45%by2025and60-75%by2030(2019)Nigeria•Short-LivedClimatePollutantActionPlan

targetsa50%reductioninmethaneleakageandfugitiveemissionsby2030(2018)••SupportstheGlobalMethanePledge

(2021)Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2016)UnitedKingdom•••SupportstheGlobalMethanePledge

(2021)Pledgetoreachnetzeroby2050

includesallgreenhousegases(2021)ExecutiveOrdercommittingtoupdatemethaneregulationsintheoilandgassector(2021)UnitedStates••40-45%reductiontarget

foroilandgasmethaneby2025(2016)Federalregulationsonnewoilandgassources

(2016)PAGE|14CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030IntroductionProgressinmethaneabatementfromcoalmineshasbeenslower.Still,someleadingcoalproducingcountrieshavebegunencouragingthere-useofmethanerecoveredfromminingoperations.InChina,forexample,a2020noticeonenvironmentalimpactassessmentsforcoaldevelopmentsrequiresimprovementsintheutilisationrateofcoalminemethane.Meanwhile,intheUnitedStates,coalminemethanereductionprojectsareeligibleforcomplianceoffsets,

orcredits,thataretradableoncarbonmarkets.Meanwhile,agrowingnumberofenergycompanieshavepledgedpubliclytoreducetheirmethaneemissionsthroughinitiativessuchastheMethaneGuidingPrinciples(MGP),theOilandGasClimateInitiative(OGCI)andtheOilandGasMethanePartnership2.0(OGMP2.0).Thisgroupincludesmajorproducersintheprivatesectoraswellasstate-ownedoilandgascompanies.Companiesjoiningtheseinitiativescommittoreducingmethaneleaksandflaringvolumesovertimeandtoadvocatingforsoundmethanepolicyandregulation.Inadditiontotheseundertakings,energycompaniesaregraduallybecomingmoretransparentabouttheiremissions.In2020,throughtheOGMP2.0,morethan70oilandgascompaniescommittedtoareportingstandard

thatwillincreasetheaccuracyandamountofdatathatisgatheredonmethaneemissionsovertime.Whilethisstandardiscurrentlyvoluntary,theEuropeanUnionisexploringamandatebasedontheOGMP2.0Frameworkinupcomingmethanelegislation.Meanwhile,newtoolsthatfacilitateemissionsdetectionandsupportabatementactionarebecomingmorereadilyavailable.Itisnowpossibletoobservesignificantemissionseventsfromahandhelddevice,aswellasfromaircraftorsatellites.Satellitedetectionhasimprovedparticularlyrapidly.Thefirstdetectionfromspaceoccurredin2016,andonlyfiveyearslater,therearenownewreportsofmajorleaksbeingdetectednearlyeveryweek.Continuousmonitoringdevicesarealsoenablingreal-time,on-sitedetection

atoilandgasfacilities.Whileusefultocompaniesseekingtobetterunderstandtheirownemissions,thesetechnologiescanalsobedeployedtoenhancetransparencyandputpressureonemissionsabatementlaggards.Box1.1GlobalMethanePledgeInadvanceoftheUNClimateChangeConference(COP26),theEuropeanUnionandtheUnitedStatesannouncedtheGlobalMethanePledge,aninitiativethataimstobuildmomentumforreducingmethaneemissions.Bysigningthepledge,PAGE|15CurtailingMethaneEmissionsfromFossilFuelOperationsPathwaystoa75%cutby2030Introductioncountriescommittoacollectivegoalofreducingglobalmethaneemissionsbyatleast30%from2020levelsby2030,whilealsoimprovingmethodsforquantifyingemissions.AsoftheendofSeptember2021,eightadditionalcountrieshavejoined:Argentina,Ghana,Indonesia,Iraq,Italy,Japan,MexicoandtheUnitedKingdom.Thispledgecoversallsourcesofmethane,includingemissionsfromagriculture,wasteandtheenergysector.Butreductionsinmethanefromfossilfueloperationswouldbeapromisingareatotargetfirst:Notonlywouldthesecoveralargeportionofemissions,butbigcutscanbeachievedcheaplywithexistingtechnology.BasedonrecentsubmissionstotheUNFCCC,supplementedbyourownestimates,weestimatethatthepledgesignatorieswouldreducetheiranthropogenicmethaneemissionsbywellover20%iftheyweretocombinealltechnicallyavailableoilandgasabatementopportunitieswithstrongpolicyactiontoreducemethaneleaksfromcoalproduction.Sti