Catalyzing Methane Action – Harnessing UNEP’s IMEO Data for Methane Emissions Reduction in the MENA Region

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(Baku)
Iraq Pavilion
Baku

The world is on the cusp of a methane data revolution, with enhanced monitoring and heightened attention creating an unprecedented level of transparency on methane emissions. Harnessing this momentum to connect data with concrete actions to reduce emissions is crucial for meeting the goals of the Global Methane Pledge, which currently has over 150 signatories, including most countries in the MENA region, and aims to reduce global methane emissions 30% by 2030.

The oil and gas sector is the second largest source of methane emissions globally and presents the best low-cost mitigation potential for methane emissions with technically feasible solutions.

UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) is a core implementing partner of the Global Methane Pledge, providing open, reliable, and actionable data to the individuals who can act to reduce global methane emissions. UNEP’s IMEO will launch its Annual Report at COP 29, assessing the state of the methane data ecosystem, including the latest scientific research, action by industry, and what is needed for stakeholders to deliver emission reductions at the speed and scale required. The report highlights progress and barriers on initiatives managed by UNEP’s IMEO, including the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 and the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS).  

Methane action in the MENA region is growing, and UNEP’s IMEO is collaborating with stakeholders across the region to transform methane data into tangible action starting with the fossil fuel sector – particularly related to satellite findings through MARS. Government representatives are invited to speak to the efforts and challenges of countries to utilize data provided by UNEP’s IMEO – through measurement studies, the OGMP 2.0, and MARS – to target and enact mitigation action. Then, leading organisations and technical experts are invited to present their experiences, provide recommendations, and highlight support channels to address these challenges, driving significant reductions in methane emissions on the ground. They also emphasise the role that data can provide towards scaling up and tracking these actions.