COP28: FG pledges to lower methane emissions — Ekpo

The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to lower its methane emissions.

Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo made this known this while on a Ministerial Panel on actions being taken to accelerate compliance with the Methane Pledge at the ongoing 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Methane Pledge targets the reduction of global anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030 and limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The gas minister who described President Bola Tinubu as an advocate of just, fair and equitable energy transition disclosed that Nigeria has set in place guidelines to ensure methane is kept under control, especially in the oil and gas sector.

Ekpo listed measures adopted by the country to lower emissions to include gas flares commercialisation programmes, establishment of energy transition and carbon monitisation units in regulatory agencies, even as emphasis is placed on carbon market development and enhanced social governance credentials directly supporting the methane pledge.

He said: “We have the decade of gas initiative to promote low carbon natural gas as preferred choice of fuel and energy in Nigeria. The country is actively steering its energy landscape towards a lower methane intensive path aligning with the methane pledge.

“We are focused on transitioning towards lower methane emissions.We are committed to consistently publishing comprehensive methane emissions data demonstrating accountability and progress in line with the methane pledge. In Nigeria we are doing everything possible to ensure that flare gas is eliminated,” Ekpo added.