CATF hosts COP28 Global Methane Pledge ministerial meeting, challenging leaders to take more action
DUBAI – Ministers celebrated progress at the Global Methane Pledge Ministerial Meeting – hosted by Clean Air Task Force — at COP28 yesterday, showcasing national actions and catalytic grant funding to deliver on the goal to cut methane at least 30 percent by 2030. This year, Global Methane Partners announced:
- Over $1 billion in new grant funding for methane action mobilized since COP27, more than triple current levels, which will mobilize billions in investment to reduce methane.
- New national commitments and legislation from top oil and gas methane emitters alongside decisive action on waste, food, and agriculture – including new methane regulations from Canada.
- Transformational data tools including the full launch of the Methane Alert and Response System and a new Data for Methane Action Campaign.
- New members and expanded leadership. Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Germany, Japan, and Nigeria joined the United States and European Union as Global Methane Pledge Champions. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Romania, and Angola joined the Pledge, bringing total participation to 156 governments.
Jonathan Banks, Global Director of Methane Pollution Prevention at Clean Air Task Force, delivered the following closing remarks at the ministerial meeting:
“While everything you have heard announced over the first few days of COP28 and here at the ministerial is worthy of celebration, we must suffice with only a brief congratulations. After all, announcements don’t reduce emissions.
What we are seeking to do is the single greatest action we can take to finally start bending the curve on climate. As Inger Anderson said at the Methane Summit, ‘methane is our lifeboat, we must take it.’ All the money raised, the new commitments and new partners will mean nothing if we don’t go forth from here to develop and implement actions and policies that start cutting methane today. While this year’s COP and methane ministerial is dominated by the achievements in raising much needed finance, it’s our job to make sure that funding actually gets used. At next year’s meeting I want us to be able to list off all the actions that supporters of the pledge have taken and will take to help us collectively cut methane emissions by 30%.
I challenge all country supporters to join us in one year with methane as part of their NDC, a methane action plan, and a report on progress to date in meeting our collective commitments. But countries alone won’t achieve what is needed to realize the true benefit of methane mitigation. We need banks and investors to prioritize methane projects and to push their clients to take action. We need philanthropy to continue to build the funding base that supports mitigation projects, research of new solutions and civil society groups to help drive change and hold us accountable. And we need companies to make methane mitigation part of the culture of their organization so that from top to bottom methane mitigation isn’t just a talking point but an integral way in how they do business. With that I wish you all a good evening, and I look forward to welcoming you next year, along with all the actions we will collectively achieve.”
Press Contacts
Troy Shaheen, Communications Director, [email protected], +1 845-750-1189
About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world.
