BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th October, 2021) Twenty four countries have joined an international initiative to cut methane emissions, the European Union and the United States said on Monday.
According to a joint statement, EU Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans and US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry held a virtual meeting earlier in the day to drum up support for the Global Methane Pledge.
"Following the initial announcement of support by Argentina, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and the United Kingdom at the MEF, 24 new countries announced today that they will join the Global Methane Pledge," the statement read.
The statement went on to list the new supporters � Canada, the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Federated States of Micronesia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guinea, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malta, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Sweden, and Togo.
"With these commitments, 9 of the world's top 20 methane emitters are now participating in the Pledge, representing about 30% of global methane emissions and 60% of the global economy," the statement added.
In September, Washington and Brussels revealed their initiative to reduce methane emissions will be launched this November at the UN Climate Change Conference, or COP26, in Glasgow. The participants agree to slash global methane emissions by at least 30%, compared to 2020 levels, by 2030.
