Reduce methane by 30 per cent

The Global Methane Pledge signed last weekend also states that the plan will be presented at the climate summit in Glasgow in November with the aim of convincing other countries to join the initiative. Besides the EU and the USA, Argentina, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Mexico and the United Kingdom have already expressed their support.

According to the EU Commission, these countries include six of the 15 largest methane emitters in the world, and together account for more than a fifth of global methane emissions and almost half of the world's economic output. The Brussels-based agency also reported that implementing the Global Methane Pledge would lead to a reduction in global warming of at least 0.2 degrees by 2050.

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In addition to oil and gas, coal and landfills, agriculture is also named in the agreement as a particularly large source of methane emissions. However, the agreement states that the baseline situation and the opportunities to directly reduce methane emissions are greatest in the energy sector.

With regard to agriculture, the Brussels Commission notes that, among other things, work is being done to accelerate the introduction of emission reduction technologies through a wider use of "carbon farming" in the member states and through their strategic plans for the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In addition, the production of biomethane from agricultural wastes and residues should be promoted.

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With regard to agriculture, the United States aims to significantly expand the use of climate-friendly measures on a voluntary basis in cooperation with farmers and ranchers. Agricultural methane emissions are to be reduced by providing incentives for improved manure management, anaerobic digesters, new feeds, composting and other methane-reducing practices.