Australia rejects global methane pledge, but New Zealand might say yes
The United States and EU announced the methane pledge in September, aiming to rally rapid climate action before the start of UN climate talks in Glasgow, which start on Sunday
Australia will not back a pledge, led by the European Union and the United States, to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030 due to concerns about the impact on farming, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.
However New Zealand, another major methane emitter through its dairy and sheep industries, may join two dozen other countries in signing the Global Methane Pledge.
"New Zealand is actively considering signing up to the pledge and will take a decision soon," a spokesperson for Climate Change Minister James Shaw said.
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The United States and EU announced the methane pledge in September, aiming to rally rapid climate action before the start of UN climate talks in Glasgow, which start on Sunday.
Methane emissions - which come from natural gas, open pit coal mines, and cattle and sheep - are the second-biggest cause of climate change behind carbon dioxide (CO2). They trap more heat than CO2 emissions but break down faster than CO2 in the atmosphere.
