UK (Commonwealth Union)_ In a significant announcement in Dubai, a novel action group has been unveiled with the explicit goal of aiding Commonwealth nations in swiftly reducing emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as part of a broader initiative to curb the escalating global temperatures within sustainable thresholds. This coalition, spearheaded by individual countries, was introduced during a ministerial event coinciding with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).
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Methane, the second-largest greenhouse gas following carbon dioxide, is attributed to over a third of the existing global temperature elevation and possesses more than 80 times the heat-trapping potency of carbon dioxide in the short term. As highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, the expeditious reduction of methane emissions stands out as one of the most expeditious and cost-effective measures to decelerate global warming.
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To fulfill the target set by the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a 45 percent reduction in methane emissions by 2030 is deemed imperative. Furthermore, the newly established action group is composed of Commonwealth nations and collaborative partners committed to exchanging knowledge, technological advancements, policy solutions, and overall expertise to mitigate methane emissions and foster broader positive transformations. The Commonwealth Secretariat is set to play a pivotal role in supporting the group, leveraging its extensive experience in assisting nations like Belize, Ghana, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda in addressing methane emissions, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
In her announcement of the action group, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, underscored the urgency for collective action, emphasizing that the latest emissions report indicates a significant deviation from the Paris Agreement goals. With current policies projecting a likely 3 degrees Celsius increase in warming, the Secretary-General stressed the critical need for a coordinated and immediate corrective trajectory, identifying the reduction of methane emissions as the mainstream for such a course correction.
The Secretary-General stated, “The latest emissions report reveals that we are not on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals because of our collective failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under current policies, warming is likely to be 3 degrees Celsius. Unless we change course now, the existential threat will become an existential reality. Coordinated and urgent course correction is needed, and cutting methane emissions is the key.” The Secretary-General added, “It gives me great hope to announce our Methane Action Group. I urge all member countries and partners to join this coalition, committing themselves to work together to curb methane emissions. Because I have no doubt that when we work together, we can bend the emissions curve.”
Namibia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, the Honourable Tom Alweendo, shared the nation’s commitment to addressing methane emissions. Namibia, a net carbon sink, aspires to be a global green hydrogen hub with ambitious low-carbon development strategies. The minister emphasized Namibia’s adherence to the Global Methane Pledge, declaring zero tolerance for flaring and venting, and a similar stance toward methane emissions.
According to him, with the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Namibia is fortifying its regulatory framework for methane, including the formulation of a near-zero methane emission policy and a comprehensive methane action plan. Minister Alweendo also expressed optimism about collaborating through the Commonwealth action group to translate these commitments into tangible outcomes. The methane action group is an integral component of the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda, designed to expedite an inclusive, equitable, and just transition to low-carbon energy systems across the Commonwealth.
