Invisible but not unseen

2. Understanding the oil and gas methane emissions reporting gap

• UNEP’s OGMP 2.0 provides data to guide and track methane reduction in the oil and gas sector. To do this, its member companies report their emissions through a measurement-based framework. Notably, the past two IMEO reports found that emissions reported by OGMP 2.0 companies were significantly less than the corresponding amount of methane observed in the atmosphere.
• This year’s report clarifies this gap—and confirms that UNEP’s OGMP 2.0 is shifting the sector from imprecise estimates to credible measured data. Analysis by UNEP’s IMEO reveals the methane volumes estimated with generic emissions factors, rather than measurements, underestimate emissions, while assets of OGMP 2.0 companies remain unreported. In addition, the available data indicates that significant differences in the types of oil and gas assets operated by OGMP 2.0 vs. non-OGMP 2.0 companies begin to plausibly explain why OGMP 2.0 companies would have lower emissions intensity.
• OGMP 2.0 companies’ implementation plans provide assurance that the gap will continue to narrow in the coming years as companies provide more verified data. Expanding OGMP 2.0 participation across the sector is necessary to shed more light on the actual sources of emissions—and where mitigation efforts must be targeted.

3. The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS): Ready for action

• Through MARS, IMEO draws data from over a dozen satellite instruments to alert countries and governments of major emissions. To date, UNEP has issued over 1,200 MARS notifications and enhanced the system’s capabilities with new AI tools and an expanded engagement network.
• So far, MARS has catalysed and verified action to mitigate emissions across four continents. However, while the system’s capabilities and notifications have grown, response and action by operators and governments has not kept pace.
• Of the more than 1,200 MARS notifications issued, just over one per cent have received any substantive response. Given this low response rate, there is a clear climate opportunity for countries and governments to engage and increase mitigation action.
• Learn more about MARS here.

4. Methane emissions in the steel supply chain

CO₂Methane

Share of GHG emissions in steel climate footprint at GWP20

• Methane emissions from the steel supply chain offer a major but overlooked opportunity for climate action. Production of metallurgical coal (metcoal) accounts for one-tenth of energy sector methane emissions and contributes around one-third of the near-term climate footprint of steel. The majority of these emissions can be mitigated at less than one per cent of the price of steel. With the vast majority of steel produced using blast furnaces fueled by metcoal, addressing these emissions is consistent with industry’s effort to curb the cost of lower-carbon alternatives.
• Through IMEO, UNEP is working to incorporate methane mitigation into the steel industry’s climate strategies, advancing a suite of scientific studies and expanding MARS to cover metcoal facilities.
• At the core of this work is the IMEO Steel Methane Programme, which sets ambitious targets and promotes emissions measurement in metcoal production. This initiative builds on OGMP 2.0’s success in the oil and gas sector, and offers a practical, cost-effective way to lower the climate footprint of steel while the industry adopts cleaner technologies.

5. Evolving IMEO’s methane science

• As of 2024, IMEO has launched 37 methane science studies across 19 countries. Initial IMEO methane science studies have successfully filled key knowledge gaps, including by providing the first empirical studies of offshore oil and gas infrastructure and liquefied natural gas facilities, as well as research campaigns in regions lacking empirical data.
• Now, a new generation of satellites and monitoring approaches that provide policy-relevant data is creating new opportunities. IMEO is evolving its scientific efforts to capitalize on these changes. While initial studies sought to obtain a basic understanding of emissions in regions without reliable data, moving forward, all studies will prioritize four main objectives.

• 1. Advancing reconciliation and data integration approaches for multi-scale emissions data
• 2. Validating measurement-based approaches
• 3. Supporting data assurance and characterisation of regions and sources with high uncertainty or discrepancies in the integrated data
• 4. Furthering science studies in support of countries targeting methane mitigation.

• Learn more about IMEO’s science studies here.