The formal launch of the partnership will take place later today. Methane, the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, has a greater ability to trap heat than CO2 but breaks down more quickly in the atmosphere. Therefore, reducing methane emissions can quickly help combat global warming. Half of the top 30 methane emitters, representing two-thirds of the global economy, have now joined the Global Methane Pledge, which was initially introduced in September. Brazil, one of the world's largest methane emitters, is among the new countries that will be announced as signatories today. China, Russia, and India, which are also top-five methane emitters, have not agreed to the pledge. These countries were previously mentioned as targets to join the pledge. Since the pledge was first announced in September with a few initial signatories, the United States and European Union have been working to persuade the world's largest methane emitters to join. Just last week, around 60 countries had signed up after a final diplomatic effort from the US and EU before the COP26 summit. Even though it is not officially part of the UN negotiations, the methane pledge could be one of the most important outcomes of the COP26 conference due to its potential impact in preventing catastrophic climate change. According to a UN report released in May, significant reductions in methane emissions within the next decade could prevent nearly 0.3 degrees Celsius of global warming by the 2040s. Failing to address methane emissions would make it impossible to achieve the goal set by the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and mitigate the most severe consequences of climate change. The reduction in methane emissions, which would need to be a 30 percent cut jointly achieved by all signatories, would encompass all sectors, including leaky oil and gas infrastructure, old coal mines, agriculture, and landfill sites. Experts believe that the energy sector would be the most significantly impacted by this pledge, as fixing leaky oil and gas infrastructure is viewed as the most efficient and cost-effective way to reduce methane emissions. The largest oil and gas producer in the world is the United States, and the EU is the largest gas importer. This week, the United States is set to introduce regulations on oil and gas methane. Later this year, both the EU and Canada are expected to announce legislation on methane specifically targeting the energy industry.