Methane is responsible for a third of global warming and is over 80 times more potent than CO2 over 20 years. As a result, fast action on methane can play an outsized role in slowing warming and preventing us from passing irreversible tipping points, effectively making it an ‘emergency brake’ on climate change, but only if we act by 2030.

The UK’s first Methane Action Plan was published last month, but is it ambitious enough to drastically cut our contribution to global warming and cement the UK’s position as a global climate leader?

In this briefing, we answer this question by assessing the plan’s strengths and weaknesses, comparing the UK’s methane reduction targets to other countries and identifying missed opportunities for deeper emissions cuts. We also outline cost effective pathways the government could take to increase ambition before 2030.

Authors
Liam Hardy and Matilda Dunn

For more information, contact
Liam Hardy, head of research