United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent global action to reduce methane emissions, warning that the world is heading toward a temporary overshoot of the 1.5°C global warming limit unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut rapidly enough to bring temperatures back down later this century.
Speaking at the launch of a global Call to Action on Methane, Guterres described methane reduction as one of the fastest, most affordable, and most effective ways to slow near-term global warming while delivering significant environmental, public health, and economic benefits. While carbon dioxide remains the primary driver of long-term climate change, he noted that methane is responsible for nearly one-third of global warming to date but has not received the political attention it deserves.
“Methane is responsible for around one-third of global warming. It is some eighty times more powerful than carbon dioxide. But unlike carbon dioxide, methane breaks down in the atmosphere within a decade or two. That means aggressive cuts could produce visible temperature relief within a generation,” Guterres said.
He stressed that reducing methane emissions cannot substitute for cutting carbon dioxide emissions but is essential to keeping the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C within reach.
The Secretary-General warned that every fraction of a degree of warming matters because prolonged overshoot increases the risk of triggering irreversible climate tipping points, including widespread coral reef loss, accelerated melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, disruption of major ocean circulation systems, and degradation of the Amazon rainforest.
To accelerate progress, Guterres outlined nine priority actions to be implemented by 2030 across the three sectors responsible for most methane emissions: fossil fuels, agriculture, and waste. In the fossil fuel sector, he called on governments and industry to eliminate methane leaks, end routine gas flaring, and achieve near-zero methane emissions throughout oil and gas operations.
Citing the International Energy Agency (IEA), Guterres said about 70 per cent of methane emissions from oil and gas operations could already be eliminated using existing technologies, many at little or no net cost. He added that 167 billion cubic metres of natural gas were flared globally in 2025, equivalent to Africa’s annual gas consumption, despite readily available alternatives.
He also highlighted the UN Environment Programme’s Methane Alert and Response System, which has issued more than 5,000 methane leak alerts across 33 countries. However, only 12 per cent of those alerts have received a response. “This is why voluntary action is no longer enough,” Guterres said. “The world phased out leaded gasoline. We eliminated ozone-depleting chemicals. Methane pollution must be next.”
Turning to agriculture, Guterres called for wider adoption of proven technologies and farming practices that reduce methane emissions while strengthening food security and protecting farmers’ livelihoods. He also urged countries to reduce food loss and waste, a major source of landfill methane. For the waste sector, he called for cleaner waste management systems, including ending open dumping, improving wastewater treatment, and capturing methane emissions from landfills.
According to Guterres, these measures would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also improve air quality, protect public health, increase agricultural productivity, and deliver substantial economic benefits. He emphasized that achieving these goals will require stronger political leadership, greater international cooperation, and significantly increased investment in methane reduction over the coming decade.
His appeal comes as scientists warn that the world is approaching a temporary breach of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming threshold, making rapid reductions in both methane and carbon dioxide emissions increasingly urgent. Guterres urged governments to make methane reduction a central pillar of their climate strategies, arguing that immediate action could slow the pace of global warming while advancing sustainable development and protecting vulnerable communities from escalating climate impacts-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
