Satellites now have the capability to detect major methane leaks from space within days, offering near real-time monitoring of this potent greenhouse gas. However, only 13 percent of these alerts result in any response from the responsible governments or companies.

Methane contributes to about one-third of current global warming and, unlike carbon dioxide, remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period. This means that reducing methane emissions can yield climate benefits within years rather than decades.

Last month, backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, a new initiative was announced to assist countries in investigating and fixing 80 percent of major methane leaks detected by 2030. Currently, only 10 countries have achieved this level of response.

More than 60 percent of methane emissions stem from human activities such as agriculture, fossil fuels, and waste. The fossil fuel sector presents the fastest and most cost-effective opportunities for emission reductions.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the urgency, stating, “But it is also time to prioritize the cutting of methane. Aggressive cuts could produce visible temperature relief within a generation.”

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen highlighted the new monitoring capabilities: “We can now see methane pollution as it happens, in near real time, from space. With this capability, inaction is not an oversight – it is a choice.”

Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, added, “Cutting methane emissions is one of the most important steps we can take to tackle climate change – and one of the most simple and cost-effective, too.”