The formal launch of the partnership will take place later today. Methane, the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, has a stronger heat-trapping capability than CO2 but decomposes more quickly in the atmosphere. This means that reducing methane emissions can quickly help to address global warming. The Global Methane Pledge, initially introduced in September, now has half of the top 30 methane emitters and represents two-thirds of the global economy, as stated by a Biden administration official. Brazil, one of the world's largest methane emitters, will be among the new signatories 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 and have been encouraged to do so since it was first announced in September. The United States and European Union have been working to persuade the world's largest methane emitters to join the partnership. Only about 60 countries had signed up as of last week, following a final diplomatic effort from the United States and EU before the COP26 summit. Although not part of the formal UN negotiations, the methane pledge could be one of the most important outcomes of the COP26 conference due to its potential to help prevent catastrophic climate change. A report from the UN in May stated that significant reductions in methane emissions over the next ten years could prevent nearly 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming by the 2040s. Failing to address methane emissions would make it impossible to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and avoiding the most severe effects of climate change. The proposed 30 percent reduction in methane would be a collective effort by all participating countries and would encompass all industries. Major sources of methane emissions include faulty oil and gas infrastructure, outdated coal mines, agriculture, and landfills. Experts believe that the energy sector would be most affected by this pledge, as repairing leaky oil and gas infrastructure is seen as the most efficient and cost-effective way to reduce methane emissions. The United States is the largest producer of oil and gas globally, and the EU is the largest importer of gas. The United States is set to announce regulations on oil and gas methane emissions this week. The EU and Canada also have plans to introduce legislation targeting methane emissions in the energy sector later this year.