UNEP Global Methane Status Report 2025: methane cuts achievable with rapid investment
The United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Methane Status Report 2025 provides insights into the potential to meet the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) target of a 30% reduction below 2020 levels by 2030. The World Biogas Association (WBA) was honoured to co-author the waste-sector section of the report alongside the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) and its partners.
Methane emissions are driving almost one-third of current global warming and continue to rise. The report notes a positive shift in emissions projections – updated forecasts suggest that 2030 emissions may be lower than previously anticipated (projected at 369 Mt, which is 14 Mt, or 4%, lower than the pre-Pledge baseline set in 2021). This improvement stems from stronger national emissions policies, slower natural-gas market growth, and waste regulations in Europe and North America.
Meeting the GMP target is possible “in case of full implementation of proven technical methane abatement measures”. Without swift action, however, projected trends such as larger livestock herds and increased waste generation driven by population growth and economic expansion could push methane emissions even higher.
Encouragingly, 127 countries have incorporated policies and measures targeting major methane sources in their latest Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Among mitigation opportunities, the waste sector stands out. Capturing methane from waste could generate annual cost savings of around US$9bn, mainly through energy savings.
Biogas is repeatedly identified as the leading low-cost, technically feasible method for methane abatement from waste. The biogas sector alone could yield net savings of US$9bn annually.
Significant gaps remain. The report highlights the absence of policies addressing methane emissions from rice cultivation and agricultural biomass burning in key regions and high-emitting countries in Asia, calling for urgent targeted action. India (the third-largest methane emitter) continues to emerge as a major hotspot for crop-residue burning, reflecting wider waste-management challenges. Brazil (the fourth-largest methane emitter) is also identified as needing structural shifts in livestock management and in the handling of agricultural waste and manure. Both countries feature prominently in the global top-emitters list.
Programmes such as the WBA’s #MakingBiogasHappen initiative are helping close these gaps by providing adaptable policies, regulations and standards that enable governments to act decisively towards the 2030 methane-reduction target. The initiative supports the biogas industry through comprehensive frameworks for waste management and sustainable agriculture – two of the largest methane-emitting sectors. By creating an enabling environment for investment and industry growth, #MakingBiogasHappen lays the foundation for long-term sector development.
Methane mitigation is one of the most cost-effective strategies to slow climate change and, with the right policies, technologies and international cooperation, the 2030 target remains within reach.