US climate envoy Kerry calls for increased funding to cut methane emissions

U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry speaks during a news conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, in Cairo, Egypt February 21, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Countries must increase spending on reducing methane emissions to rapidly reduce greenhouse gases and meet global climate goals, presidential special envoy John Kerry said on Tuesday. American on climate change.

In prepared remarks at the opening of the Global Forum on Methane, Climate and Clean Air, Kerry called on countries to build on the momentum since last year, when more than 100 countries joined the global pledge. on methane alongside the United States and the European Union, pledging to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

Billions of dollars worldwide will be needed to help countries implement their national methane reduction plans, Kerry said in remarks reviewed by Reuters.

“Financially, we have a huge uphill battle,” Kerry said, noting that less than 2% of global climate funding goes to methane, even though methane is responsible for nearly half of net global warming. “We need this tide to change.”

Methane is the main greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. It has a higher heat-trapping potential than CO2, but breaks down more quickly in the atmosphere, meaning reducing methane emissions can have a rapid impact on containing global warming.

Kerry said meeting the Global Methane Pledge targets would provide more than 0.2°C of cooling within decades.

But if countries don’t implement plans to meet the pledge’s targets, methane will rise 13% by 2030, Kerry said, citing a soon-to-be-released report by the United Nations Environment Programme. ‘environment.

He also said investments will be needed to tackle methane from sectors other than oil and gas, including livestock productivity, reducing food loss and waste, and keeping organics out of landfills.

Reporting by Valérie Volcovici; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell

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