Sector was responsible for 124 million tons of gas in 2025, around 35% of total emissions from human activity; China leads
A (International Energy Agency) warned this Monday (May 4, 2026) that methane emissions from the fossil fuel sector “remain at very high levels”. The energy sector was responsible for 124 Mt (million tons) of gas in 2025, which represents 35% of total emissions from human activity. In 2024, methane emissions from the sector were 121 Mt.
The information was disclosed in the annual report “Global Methane Monitoring“, presented at an international meeting held in Paris under the French presidency of the G7. Here is the (PDF—6,2MB).
The distribution by source shows that oil led with 45 Mt of methane emitted, coal recorded 43 Mt and gas had 36 Mt.
“In recent years, countries and companies have increased their ambitions regarding methane, elevating the issue to a higher level on the political agenda. However, setting reduction targets is just the first step, and it is essential to ensure that they are supported by policies, implementation plans and concrete actions”stated Tim Gould, chief energy economist at the IEA.
The agency estimates that China, due to high coal exploration, is the largest global emitter of methane. The country is followed by the United States, Russia, Iran and Turkmenistan.
methane
Methane is responsible for around 30% of the increase in average global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. The main human sources of emissions are agriculture and energy production.
In the oil and gas industry, methane escapes through leaks in equipment or during degassing or flaring operations. According to the AIE, “reducing methane flaring and emissions has the potential to make significant additional volumes available” of energy on the market.
