Global Methane Report Warns of Major Emission Gap; India Among Top Emitters
A new global assessment on methane emissions has reported that while countries have made progress in reducing methane output, the global trajectory remains off-track, with a substantial gap between current reductions and what is needed to meet climate targets.
India, the third-largest methane emitter in the world, accounted for nearly 31 million tonnes of methane emissions in 2020, representing around 9% of the global total. The bulk of India’s methane emissions stem from livestock, manure management, and rice cultivation.
The report highlights that methane—over 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period—offers the fastest opportunity to slow global warming if reductions are aggressively pursued. However, adoption of mitigation measures in agriculture remains slow, even though several low-cost and no-cost solutions exist.
Experts warn that India’s methane emissions could rise by as much as 8% by 2030, driven largely by agricultural growth. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, greater investment in methane-reducing technologies, and large-scale policy implementation to align with global climate goals.
