Scientist statement on misuse of new approaches to methane

21 May 2026

The statement argues that these approaches may be used to justify weaker methane mitigation ambition, particularly in high-emitting countries and companies, in ways that are inconsistent with the equity and temperature goals of the Paris Agreement

Accounting for the warming impact of different greenhouse gases is a contested area in climate policy.

Today, 42 climate scientists and academic experts from around the world published a statement expressing concern about the potential misuse of approaches such as GWP*, “temperature neutrality”, and “no additional warming” for setting climate targets, particularly in the context of methane.