Methane emissions from the energy sector remained near a record level in 2023, with about 120 million tonnes (Mt) coming from the production and use of fossil fuels, and an additional 10 Mt from bio-energy, primarily from the traditional usage of biomass.

The latest edition of the IEA Global Methane Tracker is based on the most recent data available on methane emissions from the energy sector, and it includes new scientific research, measurement campaigns, and satellite data.

The data analysis shows both positive and negative tendencies. More countries and fossil fuel companies have agreed to take action on methane. However, global emissions are still much too high to satisfy the world's climate targets.

For example, large methane emissions events detected by satellites increased by more than 50% in 2023 compared to 2022, with more than 5 Mt detected from major fossil fuel leaks around the world, including a major well blowout in Kazakhstan that lasted more than 200 days.

According to the findings, the top ten emitting countries account for over 70% of global methane emissions from fossil fuels. Of the over 120 Mt of emissions attributed to fossil fuels by the IEA Global Methane Tracker in 2023, about 80 Mt came from countries ranked among the top ten methane emitters in the world. The United States emits the most methane from oil and gas operations, closely followed by Russia. China is by far the largest emitter in the coal sector.

In 2023, fossil fuel activities lost 170 billion cubic metres of methane, which is higher than Qatar's natural gas production.

The best countries outperform the lowest by more than 100 times. Norway and the Netherlands have the lowest emissions intensity, but Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are also relatively low emitters. Turkmenistan and Venezuela have the highest.

Limiting warming to 1.5 °C According to the estimate, reducing methane emissions from fossil fuels by 75% by 2030 is critical to limiting global warming to 1.5 °C because the energy sector accounts for more than one-third of total methane emissions caused by human activity.

 “In our Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE) Scenario – which sees the global energy sector achieving net zero emissions by mid-century, limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 °C – methane emissions from fossil fuel operations fall by around 75% by 2030,” the latest IEA Global Methane Tracker disclosed.

Full implementation of COP28 and other pledges IEA says the full implementation of COP28 and other agreements would reduce fossil fuel methane emissions by 50%. The COP28 climate summit in Dubai resulted in many new commitments to speed action on methane. Importantly, the results of the first Global Stocktake called on governments to significantly reduce methane emissions by 2030.

Furthermore, more than 50 oil and gas companies launched the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC) to accelerate emissions reductions within the industry, new countries joined the Global Methane Pledge, and new funding was raised to support the reduction of methane and greenhouse gases (GHGs) other than carbon dioxide (CO2).

According to the IEA, significant new methane policies and regulations were developed or announced in 2023, including by the United States, Canada, and the European Union, as well as China, which published an action plan to decrease methane emissions. To complement these efforts, a number of programs have been launched, including the Methane Alert and Response System and the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative's Satellite Monitoring Campaign.