Summary/Abstract
Methane is responsible for around 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, and rapid and sustained reductions in methane emissions are key to limiting near-term global warming and improving air quality. The energy sector – including oil, natural gas, coal and bioenergy – accounts for over a third of methane emissions from human activity. The International Energy Agency (IEA) operates a public database, the “Global Methane Tracker,” and publishes annual reports summarizing global sources of methane.
This year’s update provides IEA’s latest estimates of emissions from across the sector – drawing on the more recent data and readings from satellites and ground-based measurements – and the costs and opportunities to reduce these emissions. It also tracks current pledges and policies to drive down methane emissions and progress towards these goals. For the first time the Global Methane Tracker includes information about the investments needed to deliver emissions reductions and the potential revenue from these measures.
IEA’s 2024 report estimates that the production and use of fossil fuels resulted in close to 120 million tonnes (Mt) of methane emissions in 2023, while a further 10 Mt came from bioenergy – largely stemming from the traditional use of biomass. Emissions have remained around this level since 2019, when they reached a record high. Since fossil fuel supply has continued to expand since then, this indicates that the average methane intensity of production globally has declined marginally during this period.