Recommendation 3

The UK was a strong proponent of the Global Methane Pledge, led by the US and the EU, when COP26 was held in Glasgow in 2021. The Pledge, which aims to reduce global methane emissions by 30 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030, has a number of shortcomings, not least the absence of any independent verification of participants’ methane action plans. Further, whilst the Pledge now has a significant number of signatories, its utility is hampered by the absence of several of the largest methane emitters—China, India and Russia. Nonetheless, we heard from witnesses that the Pledge is an important tool in meeting the UK’s national and international commitments to contribute to global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5˚C.