Turning Methane Into a Climate and Energy Opportunity
BRASÍLIA, Brazil – A two-day summit bringing together governments, companies, international organizations, and experts to address one of the most urgent and cost-effective climate challenges in the energy transition gets underway here on Monday.
The Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE), together with Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy and international partners, will host the III Regional Methane Summit.
The organisers said that at a time when the world is seeking to accelerate climate action without compromising energy security, Latin America and the Caribbean are preparing to discuss one of the most effective strategies for mitigating global warming in the short term: reducing methane emissions.
The event will bring together government representatives, multilateral organizations, energy sector companies, research centers, and specialists from more than 20 countries to develop concrete solutions to this challenge.
“The importance of the issue continues to grow. Methane is responsible for nearly 30 per cent of the increase in global temperatures since the pre-industrial era and has a warming potential approximately 80 times greater than carbon dioxide during its first twenty years in the atmosphere,” the organisers said.
They said the figures reflect the scale of the challenge, noting that in 2025, global methane emissions from oil, gas, and coal reached 124 million tonnes. In addition, the energy sector accounted for approximately 40 per cent of total anthropogenic methane emissions worldwide. Despite the availability of effective technologies to reduce these emissions, significant declines have yet to be achieved.
For Latin America and the Caribbean, this opportunity is particularly relevant. According to the Global Methane Tracker 2026, Central and South America released nearly eight million tonnes of methane from the fossil fuel sector in 2025.
It is estimated that up to 75 per cent of these emissions could be reduced using currently available technologies. Furthermore, a substantial share could be mitigated at low cost through the recovery of gas that is currently wasted.
During the summit, participants will address strategic topics such as methane emissions management in the oil and gas sectors, the sustainable development of biogas and biomethane, improvements in Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems, satellite-based emissions monitoring, and new opportunities for regional cooperation.
The agenda will also include discussions on regulatory advances and successful initiatives from across the region.
