The EU and US have officially launched a global pledge to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by the end of the decade.
The launch of the pledge was made today at the COP26 climate change event in Glasgow.
During the launch, European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen told the conference that cutting the powerful greenhouse gas by a third from 202 levels will “immediately slow down climate change“.
She said around 30% of global warming since the Industrial Revolution is due to methane.
“Today, global methane emissions grow faster than at any time in the past,” Ms von der Leyen said, adding that reducing methane is one of the most effective ways to reduce near-term warming and keep the Paris goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming aline.
“It is the lowest hanging fruit,” she said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland would sign the pledge to cut methane emissions, but he stressed that the figure was a global target rather than a national one.
“We will contribute globally to a global reduction. It’s a global pledge, it’s not country-specific. We will develop our climate action plan which will give our specifics in respect of each sector,” he said.
