Over 150 Countries Join COP27 International Methane Agreement

[Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Major foreign media reported on the 17th (local time) that the number of countries signing the 'Global Methane Pledge' has exceeded 150.

The Global Methane Pledge aims to reduce methane emissions, which have a greater warming effect than carbon dioxide, by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels.

It was established last year at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held in Glasgow, UK, led by the United States and the European Union (EU).

The US and EU delegations participating in COP27 held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, announced that the number of signatory countries to the Global Methane Pledge has increased to around 150 during this conference. They added that this is about 50 more countries than when the pledge was launched last year.

China and India, the world's largest methane emitters, have not joined the pledge.

At the methane pledge session held in Sharm El-Sheikh that day, John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, along with Xie Zhua, China's Special Climate Envoy, attended and explained China's independent methane emission reduction plan.

Rich Duke, US Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, said, "We expect China, the world's largest methane emitter, to join the pledge before COP28 next year and to attend the ministerial meeting."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.