IEA-COP29 High-Level Event on Turning Methane Pledges Into Action

Ahead of COP29 in November, the IEA and COP29 President Azerbaijan will host a high-level event on methane emissions from fossil fuels alongside the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This event will bring together high-level representatives from around the world, including ministers and heads of international organisations, to highlight the implementation and action plans that countries and companies are developing to reduce methane emissions from fossil fuels. It will also identify potential areas for new regional initiatives and partnerships.

Following opening remarks by IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev, participants will discuss the concrete ways in which they are tackling methane emissions in order to fulfil commitments such as the Global Methane Pledge, which calls for a collective effort to cut global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. At COP28 in Dubai, almost 200 countries also pledged to work to substantially reduce methane emissions this decade.

This high-level event will be followed by a series of technical workshops focusing on the challenges and opportunities for tackling methane emissions in specific regions. The first workshop will take place during Baku Climate Action Week on 2 October. It will focus on the Caucasus and Central Asia, bringing together technical experts from the region and beyond to accelerate action on methane abatement. 

Attendance is by invitation only.