London, 23 June 2026 The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced efforts to help countries raise their response rate to major methane leaks around the world to 80 percent by 2030, ensuring that the causes of emissions seen from space are investigated and put on a path to mitigation. To date, only 10 early moving countries have achieved an 80 percent response rate.
The announcement follows UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres call for urgent action to scale up methane mitigation, which underscores the importance of rapid reductions this decade across major emitting sectors the fossil fuel sector offers the fastest and most cost-effective opportunity for cuts.
With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, UNEP will strengthen and expand the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) and its flagship Methane Alert and Response System (MARS), allowing countries and companies to accelerate mitigation from the worlds largest methane sources so-called superemitters.
Carbon dioxide remains the principal driver of long-term warming. But it is also time to prioritize the cutting of methane, said Antnio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General. Aggressive cuts could produce visible temperature relief within a generation. UNEPs Methane Alert and Response System has issued more than 5,000 alerts across 33 countries.
These efforts will significantly expand engagement with governments and operators by:
- Convening regional partners and building national capacity to interpret and respond to super-emitter alerts.
- Facilitating private sector uptake of MARS data via UNEPs Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0, including targeted support to key national oil and gas companies.
- Enhancing the transparency, accessibility, and usability of methane emissions data through IMEO's Eye on Methane data platform.
Cutting methane emissions is one of the most important steps we can take to tackle climate change and one of the most simple and cost-effective, too, said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies. We have the data we need to stop methane leaks, and now we are helping countries turn that data into faster, bolder action.
This work builds on IMEOs recent expansion of MARS alerts to the coal and waste sectors, publication of a MARS response blueprint with the International Energy Agency, and its plans to integrate data from additional satellite missions such as Carbon Mapper. Translating these efforts into rapid mitigation globally requires political, technical, and financial support from governments, industry, and philanthropic partners.
Methane causes about a third of todays global warming, but because it does not stay in the atmosphere for long, cutting it now can bring quick climate benefits. Large methane leaks so called superemitters are some of the easiest and cheapest places to reduce emissions, often by making simple fixes at low or no cost. MARS provides near real-time detection of major methane emissions using independent satellite data. Alerts are issued to countries and operators, who are then encouraged to investigate, share information, and act.
We can now see methane pollution as it happens, in near real-time, from space, said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. With this capability, inaction is not an oversight it is a choice. Countries and operators must act. UNEP will ensure they have the data and technical support to make informed decisions, including through direct engagement with those whose ability and opportunity to act is greatest, including national oil companies.
Since its launch in 2023, MARS has demonstrated its potential to drive rapid mitigation with over 40 verified mitigations across 10 countries showing that satellite data can trigger solutions in diverse contexts. In Algeria, for example, a MARS alert led to the repair of a decadeslong leak that had the nearterm equivalent impact of taking half a million cars off the road each year.
Yet the rapid expansion of MARS detection and alerts has met uneven responses from countries positioned to act on the ground. Globally, only 13 per cent of MARS alerts currently receive a response (i.e., when an alert is investigated and information is sent back to UNEP). Stronger commitment from government and operators is essential to close this response gap, and the efforts announced today are intended to ensure countries are positioned to seize this mitigation opportunity.
Satellites give us clarity, UNEPs Executive Director added. Now we must match clarity with action.
ADDITIONAL QUOTES
The world can now identify major methane emissions with an unprecedented level of transparency. This creates a new opportunity for governments and operators to investigate emissions sources, strengthen accountability and accelerate mitigation efforts. France calls on all stakeholders to engage actively with trusted scientific data, including through UNEPs International Methane Emissions Observatory, so that greater visibility leads to faster action and real emissions reductions."Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Climate and Nature Negotiations, France
Rapid methane reductions are essential in the fight against climate change, and better data is helping drive more effective action. Tools like the Methane Alert and Response System are improving transparency and helping governments and industry identify opportunities for faster mitigation. As a co-convenor of the Global Methane Pledge, Canada supports continued international cooperation to translate methane data into real-world emissions reductions while ensuring industries remain competitive. Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, Canada
"Methane reduction is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to slow global warming. As transparency on methane emissions improves globally, we have an opportunity and the responsibility to translate better data into faster action. Initiatives such as UNEPs International Methane Emissions Observatory and its Methane Alert and Response System are key to provide the trusted evidence needed to drive accountability, inform policy, and accelerate emissions reductions across sectors." Dan Jrgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Access to credible methane data is critical to supporting effective climate action, particularly in developing economies where capacity and investment gaps remain significant. International partnerships that strengthen technical capability, improve transparency and support implementation can help countries accelerate methane mitigation while advancing sustainable development priorities. Tenioye Majekodunmi, Director-General of National Council on Climate Change, Nigeria
Brazil is increasingly positioning itself as one of the main oil producers. This activity is carried out sustainably, acting responsibly through a robust operational safety management system and observing best practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from the exploration and production sector in Brazil represent less than 1% of the total, but even so, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has implemented a public policy to further reduce these emissions. That is why we fully support advances in satellite methane monitoring technology, such as MARS, so that the world can continuously improve methane reduction. Alexandre Silveria, Minister of Mines and Energy, Brazil
