By Bunmi Yekini
Global methane emissions from fossil fuel operations remain stubbornly high despite growing efforts to track and manage them, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned in its Global Methane Tracker 2025, released today.
The report, based on the latest satellite data and measurement campaigns, estimates that methane emissions from the energy sector still exceed 120 million tonnes annually, with abandoned oil and gas wells, along with coal mines, contributing about 8 million tonnes alone. This makes them collectively the fourth-largest emitter of fossil fuel methane globally.
“Tackling methane leaks and flaring offers a double dividend: it alleviates pressure on tight gas markets in many parts of the world, enhancing energy security – and lowers emissions at the same time,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
Despite recent advances in data transparency, with over 25 satellites now monitoring emissions, the report notes that actual progress on implementation lags far behind pledges.
“The latest data indicates that implementation on methane has continued to fall short of ambitions,” Birol added. “The IEA is working to ensure that governments and industry have the tools and knowledge they need to deliver on pledges and achieve the goals they have set.”
The fossil fuel industry remains responsible for nearly one-third of methane emissions from human activity. The Tracker highlights that while 70% of these emissions could be eliminated with existing technologies, only a fraction of oil and gas production currently meets near-zero methane standards.
In 2024, satellite detection of large methane leaks hit record levels, and over 150 billion cubic metres of natural gas was flared, much of it avoidable. The report argues that many abatement measures could pay for themselves within a year, since captured gas can be sold on the market.
The IEA notes that closing the gap between the worst and best performers in the industry, some of whom differ in methane intensity by a factor of 100, is crucial. Current pledges cover 80% of global oil and gas production, but only 5% meets rigorous methane standards today.
Deploying targeted mitigation strategies, the report concludes, could prevent a 0.1°C rise in global temperatures by 2050, equivalent to erasing all carbon dioxide emissions from the global heavy industry sector.