A California initiative to cut global methane emissions has gained new partners. Areas of Brazil, Canada, South Korea, Bolivia, Germany and the United States signed on to the recently formed Subnational Methane Action Coalition during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai over the weekend.

What You Need To Know

  • Areas of Brazil, Canada, South Korea, Bolivia, Germany and the United States signed on to a California initiative to reduce methane emissions during COP28

  • In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom established the Subnational Methane Action Coalition to reduce methane emissions from agriculture, energy and landfills

  • Reducing methane emissions can prevent 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2050

  • A powerful greenhouse gas, methane accounts for nearly 30% of global warming

The group of subnational governments seeks to reduce methane emissions from agriculture, energy and landfills. Eighty times more potent than carbon dioxide, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that accounts for nearly 30% of global warming. Lowering methane emissions holds the potential to prevent 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2050, according to the California Air Resources Board.

“The science is clear that tackling methane emissions is one of the best investments we can make to fight climate change now and produce benefits in the near future to leave a better planet for generations to come,” California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph said in a statement. “California is ready to partner with governments across the world to implement actionable and effective solutions.”

Long a global leader in emissions regulations, California has set a goal of reducing methane emissions 40% by 2030 compared with 2013 levels. The state has invested $100 million to fund a satellite system to monitor methane plumes.

More than 150 countries have agreed to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030 as part of the Global Methane Pledge of 2021. Meeting that target, however, will require additional participation from subnational governments that have jurisdiction over local methane sources.

Colorado is the only other U.S. state to join the Subnational Methane Action Coalition. Other signatories include regions of Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Germany, Canada, Bolivia and South Korea that include factories, as well as beef and dairy farms that generate methane.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom first announced the Subnational Methane Action Coalition effort during Climate Week in September. Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria and India were founding signatories. During COP28, the number of signatories almost doubled.