The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released its report, “An Eye on Methane 2025: From measurement to momentum.”

About the Report

• Launch: First launched in 2021.
• Released by: UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Purpose: To provide transparent, science-based data on global methane emissions and progress in mitigation.
• Focus: Tracks methane sources (oil & gas, agriculture, waste), promotes measurement-reporting-verification (MRV), and supports Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) for real-time emission tracking.
• Key Platforms:
• • Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP 2.0)
  • Methane Alert and Response System (MARS)

Key Highlights of the Report

• Global Methane Leak Detection vs. Action
  • Methane detection capacity has grown tenfold, largely due to satellite data and real-world monitoring.
  • However, nearly 90% of methane “super-emitter” events detected remain unaddressed.
  • UNEP’s Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) has issued over 3,500 satellite-based alerts since 2022 across 33 countries about “super-emitter” events.
  • Despite an increase in follow-up actions — from 1% to 12% in one year — the vast majority of emissions events still go unattended.
  • UNEP warns that inaction could derail the Global Methane Pledge.

• Methane’s Climate Impact: ​​It is 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period but has a shorter atmospheric lifespan, making it a critical short-term lever to slow global warming.
  • Because it dissipates quickly, cutting methane emissions can deliver rapid climate benefits, serving as a “climate emergency brake”.
• Progress in Measurement and Monitoring
  • One-third of oil and gas methane emissions are now tracked using real-world measurements, replacing outdated estimation-based inventories.
  • Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0): Now includes 153 companies from 90 countries, covering 42% of global oil and gas production.
• India’s Participation: For the first time, Indian companies have joined OGMP 2.0, committing to direct measurement-based methane reporting.
  • India is among the world’s top methane emitters, primarily from agriculture, waste, and fossil fuels.

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Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP 2.0)

• Launched by: UNEP and Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) in November 2020 as an upgraded framework to the original OGMP (2014).
• Purpose: A voluntary initiative for oil and gas companies to measure, report, and reduce methane emissions transparently.
• Framework: Uses a five-level MRV (Measurement, Reporting, Verification) system ensuring consistency and data accuracy.
• Significance: Recognised as the “gold standard” for methane emissions reporting, representing companies covering over 35% of global oil and gas output.

Methane Alert and Response System (MARS)

• Launched by: UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) at COP27 (2022).
• Purpose: To detect, verify, and enable quick mitigation of major methane leaks through satellite-based monitoring.
• Mechanism: Integrates satellite data to issue alerts to governments and operators, facilitating rapid emission control.
• Significance: World’s first global methane detection and alert system, improving transparency and accountability in emission reduction.

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