World energy methane emissions near record high

Record fossil fuel production kept planet-heating methane emissions near historic highs last year, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday, warning of a surge in massive leaks from oil and gas facilities.

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Slashing emissions of methane -- second only to carbon dioxide for its contribution to global warming -- is essential to meeting international targets on climate change and one of the fastest ways to curb temperature rise.

But the IEA warned that countries are considerably underestimating their energy sector methane pollution, estimating that emissions are around 80 per cent higher than the total reported by governments to the United Nations.

The energy sector is responsible for around a third of the methane emitted by human activities.

It leaks from gas pipelines and other energy infrastructure, and is also deliberately released during equipment maintenance, according to Agence France-Presse.

Tackling this is considered one of the easiest ways to lower emissions because plugging leaks can often be done at little or no cost.

"However, the latest data indicates that implementation on methane has continued to fall short of ambitions," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.