The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Bloomberg Philanthropies have announced a major initiative to help countries increase their response rate to significant methane leaks to 80 percent by 2030. The effort aims to ensure that methane emissions detected from space are investigated quickly and placed on a path toward mitigation, supporting global climate goals.
The announcement follows a call from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres for urgent action to reduce methane emissions, one of the most powerful contributors to global warming. While carbon dioxide remains the primary driver of long-term climate change, experts emphasize that reducing methane can deliver faster climate benefits because the gas remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period.
With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, UNEP will expand the capabilities of the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) and its Methane Alert and Response System (MARS). The platform uses satellite technology to identify large methane leaks, known as super-emitters, and provides near real-time alerts to governments and operators responsible for investigating and addressing the emissions.
Since its launch in 2023, MARS has issued more than 5,000 methane alerts across 33 countries and contributed to over 40 verified mitigation actions. One notable success occurred in Algeria, where a MARS alert led to the repair of a decades-old methane leak with an environmental impact comparable to removing hundreds of thousands of vehicles from the road annually.
The new initiative will focus on strengthening national capacity, improving government engagement, expanding private sector participation, and enhancing access to methane emissions data through IMEO’s Eye on Methane platform. UNEP will also work closely with national oil companies and other major industry stakeholders to accelerate emissions reductions.
Despite advances in methane detection technology, global response rates remain low. UNEP reports that only 13 percent of methane alerts currently receive a response, highlighting the need for stronger commitments from governments and industry. The organization hopes the expanded program will bridge this gap and encourage faster action on emissions reductions.
International leaders from countries including France, Canada, Brazil, and Nigeria have welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the importance of transparent methane monitoring and global cooperation in addressing climate change.
Methane is responsible for roughly one-third of current global warming, making it one of the most important targets for near-term climate action. By combining satellite monitoring, advanced data analysis, and international collaboration, UNEP and its partners aim to turn methane detection into measurable emissions reductions and help countries achieve meaningful climate progress before the end of the decade.
