In its first year, UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) played a critical role in helping reduce methane emissions, the second-biggest driver of global warming. The observatory was set up to help deliver on goals such as the Global Methane Pledge to slash 30 per cent off methane emissions in the oil and gas, agriculture and waste sectors by 2030. As of November 2022, 150 countries had endorsed the pledge, and over 50 countries had developed national methane action plans or were in the process of doing so. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) rolled out national roadmaps to support the pledge, including helping Nigeria set a target of reducing oil-and-gas-related methane emissions by 60 per cent by 2030.

At the UN Climate Change Conference, IMEO launched its Methane Alert and Response System, a new satellite-based system to detect emissions of the climate-warming gas, which would enable governments and businesses to respond in a timely manner. In addition, over 80 oil and gas companies have committed to measuring and reducing their methane emissions through the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0, a key component of IMEO’s data-driven approach.