The official launch of the partnership will take place later today. Methane, the second most prevalent greenhouse gas, is more effective at trapping heat than CO2 but decomposes more quickly in the atmosphere. Thus, reducing methane emissions can quickly help combat global warming. The Global Methane Pledge, introduced in September, now has half of the top 30 methane emitters and two-thirds of the global economy on board, as per a Biden administration official. Brazil, one of the largest methane emitters globally, is among the new signatories to be announced today. China, Russia, and India, which are among the top five methane emitters, have not agreed to the pledge. These countries were identified as targets to join the pledge in a previous report. Since the pledge was first announced in September with only a few countries signing on, the United States and European Union have been working to convince the largest methane emitters in the world to join. Just last week, approximately 60 countries signed up after a final diplomatic effort from the US and EU before the COP26 summit. While not officially part of the UN negotiations, the methane pledge could be one of the most significant outcomes of the COP26 conference due to its potential impact on preventing catastrophic climate change. A report from the UN in May indicated that significant reductions in methane emissions in the next ten years could prevent nearly 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming by the 2040s. Failing to address methane emissions, on the other hand, would make it difficult to achieve the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and avoiding the most severe consequences of climate change. The reduction in methane emissions, to be achieved collectively by the countries involved, would apply to all sectors. Major sources of methane emissions include faulty oil and gas infrastructure, aging coal mines, agriculture, and landfills. The energy sector is expected to be most affected by this commitment, as experts believe that repairing leaky oil and gas infrastructure is the most efficient and cost-effective way to reduce methane emissions. The United States holds the title of being the largest producer of oil and gas globally, with the EU being the largest importer of gas. This week, the United States is set to introduce regulations on oil and gas methane emissions. Later this year, both the EU and Canada are planning to announce legislation targeting methane emissions in the energy sector.