Methane emissions from fossil fuels remained at record high levels in 2025: IEA

IEA says methane emissions from fossil-fuel operations remained at near-record highs in 2025, with a large implementation gap and continued opportunities for abatement.

The report notes energy-security considerations following the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has removed close to 20% of global LNG supply from the market.

The IEA noted that commitments to reduce methane now cover over half of global oil and gas production.

The IEA identified LDAR as a cost-effective option to reduce methane emissions, including replacing pumps with electric devices and using vapour-recovery units (VRUs) to capture vented gas.

The IEA said readily accessible methane abatement across gas systems could quickly make up to 15 bcm of gas available to markets; longer-term reductions could deliver nearly 100 bcm annually, with further gains from eliminating non-emergency gas flaring.

The IEA released the Global Methane Tracker 2026, based on satellite data and measurement campaigns, highlighting ongoing high methane emissions from fossil-fuel operations.

The IEA said methane emissions from the energy sector were near record highs in 2025, revealing a large implementation gap between commitments and actual actions.

Methane emissions in South and Southeast Asia totaled around 13 Mt in 2025, with more than 60% from coal mines; India and Indonesia were the biggest emitters. Emissions in the region are expected to start declining in coming years.

IEA estimates that over 85 Mt of methane emissions tied to fossil-fuel operations in 2025 came from the 10 biggest emitters, led by China (driven by coal), followed by the United States and Russia.

Within the oil and gas sector, upstream activities account for about 80% of methane emissions.

About 20 Mt of methane emissions in 2025 came from bioenergy production and consumption, largely from incomplete combustion of traditional biomass used for cooking and heating in developing economies.

Methane emissions from oil, gas, and coal production totaled 124 million tonnes (Mt) in 2025, with oil contributing 45 Mt, coal 43 Mt, and natural gas 36 Mt.

The IEA noted that oil, gas and coal production output reached record highs in 2025, even as methane emissions remained at near-record levels.

Over 100 countries joined the Global Methane Pledge in 2021, including the European Union and the United States, to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030.