CCAC at COP28 - Daily Updates: 6 December

Decarbonisation is everyone's issue. Transition is everyone's issue, and it needs to happen in an inclusive manner. And this is why Energy Day is so critical for us. And this is the first time these entities [oil and gas companies] have had a seat at the table to talk about their challenges, their opportunities, and also how they're addressing it, including what they're doing around methane reduction or elimination.” - Quote from Sabrin Rahman, Director of Partnerships at COP28 Presidency, Press Conference - 5 December 2023.

At 'Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector' event organised by Iraq and CCAC, the CCAC-supported project on “Deliver a national methane emission inventory and mitigation assessment for the oil and gas sector to support Iraq meet its mitigation goals” was launched. This project is being implemented by Clean Air Task Force in coordination with IEA, Carbon Limits and IMEO.

"Iraq’s revised NDC has put a focus on reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. We understand that Iraq plans to prioritize reducing gas flaring, which occurs when fossil gas from oil production is burned as an unwanted by-product during the extraction process. Flaring emits large amounts of methane and black carbon. To do this, Iraq plans to improve its detection of methane leaks by conducting regular leak detection programs at oil and gas extraction sites and pipes and also to capture and utilize the gas that would otherwise be flared." -  Yousif Muayad Yousif, Director of the Directorate of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Iraq at 'Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector.'  

"Nigeria is a longstanding partner of the CCAC. Nigeria Developed the National Action Plan on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) in 2018, identifying a target to reduce fugitive methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 50 percent by 2030. In its NDC, Nigeria committed to reducing methane emissions by 60 percent, and achieving a net-zero target by 2060 — an ambitious goal that was raised from previous goals with the support of the CCAC. In order to achieve this commitment, Nigeria set out to establish a baseline emissions inventory and to adopt leak detection and repair for its facilities. The CCAC supported this work in a variety of ways, including through capacity-building workshops aimed at fossil fuel methane policies. Nigeria has come a long way with the regulatory commission issuing 7 new laws to regulate the oil and gas industry." -  Ejiro Ufondu, Director Environment, Community & Sustainability , Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission at 'Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector.' 

"Ghana’s NDC includes a variety of SLCP mitigation goals and we have a longstanding cooperation with CCAC and serve as the co-chair of CCAC. In the oil and gas sector, the NDC includes minimizing industry-wide flaring by 20 percent by 2030." - Daniel Benefor, Senior Programme Office, Ghana EPA at 'Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector'. 

"The CCAC has collaborated with Iraq, Mexico, Nigeria and Colombia to develop and adopt the necessary regulatory and legislative frameworks, to estimate and build their mitigation capacity in efforts to reduce methane emissions and to meet their commitments to the Global Methane Pledge." - Martina Otto, Head of UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Secretariat at 'Reducing Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector'. 

At 'Higher Energy Efficient Cooling and HFC Lifecycle Management As a Key Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation' organized by Japan, Martina Otto, Head of UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Secretariat highlighted that in 2024, the CCAC Cooling Hub through the leadership of Japan and the Maldives as co-leads, is planning to organise various awareness-raising and capacity-building activities in support, including: Workshops (online and in person) to share experiences on the development of inventory of banks of used or unwanted controlled substances to support Decision 91/66; Supporting CCAC country partners through the Expression of Interest system to help address needs and priorities including those that revolve around lifecycle refrigerant management and complementing MLF support for policies and regulations to prevent environmental dumping of cooling appliances. 

At 'Decarbonization in the Oil and Gas Market:  The road to net-zero emissions and the roles of national oil companies and international oil companies' organized by Clean Air Task Force, panellists emphasized that 1.5°C  consistent mitigation is still within reach but will require a 75% reduction in fossil fuel methane emissions by 2030, according to the recently published joint report by the CCAC and IEA. Also, the panel discussed that by the end of the decade, all oil and gas companies must be at a level of operation efficiency equivalent to the highest current standard in the global industry (according to OPEC). To achieve these goals, low and mid-developing country’s national oil companies will need support with tech-transfer and capacity-building to achieve these targets. Furthermore, the importance of regulation was highlighted to ensure that the incentives are appropriately aligned to ensure companies take advantage of no or low-cost mitigation opportunities.

At 'Progress on The Road to Reducing Methane Emissions in Chile: The result of national efforts and international support' organized by Chile, Chile showcased substantial progress on national methane planning and action in the waste sector, which is the largest anthropogenic sector for methane emissions in the country (48% of total methane emissions). They highlighted that their NDC includes methane targets and actions, including plans to implement landfill gas capture systems and noted the importance of long-term capacity-building support from Canada and the CCAC. The Global Methane Hub highlighted their new website.

Commonwealth Action Group announced in Dubai today that it will help Commonwealth countries, including African member states, rapidly cut emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane as part of wider efforts to keep rising global temperatures within liveable limits. The country-led coalition was announced at a ministerial event on the margins of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). The action group will be made up of Commonwealth countries and partners committed to sharing knowledge, expertise, technology, and policy solutions to reduce methane emissions and effect broader positive change. The methane action group is part of the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda, which aims to fast-track an inclusive, just, and equitable transition to low-carbon energy systems across the Commonwealth.

Bel Group, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Lactalis and Nestle have agreed to disclose their methane emissions and formed the Dairy Methane Action Alliance. The agreement comes on the heels of a significant expansion of the Subnational Methane Action Coalition during COP28, whereby 15 local governments pledged to reduce methane emissions from agriculture, energy and landfills. Led by California, the coalition also includes Colorado and parts of Brazil, Canada and India.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a new initiative at COP28 to support developing countries’ access to carbon markets, mitigate social and environmental risks and promote accurate carbon accounting. Carbon markets, both compliance and voluntary, are trading schemes that create financial incentives for activities that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions. In these schemes, emissions are quantified into carbon credits that can be bought and sold. One tradable carbon credit equals one ton of carbon dioxide – or the equivalent amount of a different greenhouse gas – reduced, sequestered or avoided. This could be by reducing deforestation or by capturing and burning methane gas from landfills to generate electricity. The initiative builds on UNDP’s Carbon Payments for Development (CP4D) Facility in partnership with the Government of Switzerland to support Article 6 readiness and ITMO agreements,

A total of 121 countries have committed to the Global Pledge on Renewables and Energy Efficiency, introduced jointly by the EU and COP28 Presidency and presented by President von der Leyen. This initiative aims to triple global renewable energy capacity and double the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030 compared to the previous decade.

The Keeping it Chill: How to meet cooling demands while cutting emissions report of UNEP report advocates for sustainable cooling through passive measures, higher efficiency standards, and a faster phase-out of climate-warming refrigerants. Coupled with rapid power grid decarbonization, these measures could achieve a remarkable 96% emission reduction.  Over 60 countries signed up to a ‘cooling pledge’ with commitments to reduce the climate impact of the cooling sector, that could also provide “universal access to life-saving cooling, take the pressure off energy grids and save trillions of dollars by 2050.” 

“The cooling sector must grow to protect everyone from rising temperatures, maintain food quality and safety, keep vaccines stable and economies productive,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, who launched the report during a press conference at Expo City, where COP28 has been underway since last Thursday.