International Gas Union reacts to IEA’s Global Methane Tracker 2026

International Gas Union reacts to IEA's Global Methane Tracker 2026

The International Gas Union (IGU) welcomes the release of the IEA's Global Methane Tracker 2026 and continues to support the global Gas industry's efforts to tackle methane emissions.

Reducing flaring and methane emissions can make more natural gas commercially available over time, but linking this potential for additional volumes to currently disrupted LNG production is misleading. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not a natural gas availability crisis, but rather a supply crisis caused by geopolitical actions.

IGU also urges the world's Governments to adopt methane policies that are fully aligned with the Gas industry's realities and do not create further uncertainty and energy insecurity by deterring investment in Gas supply and infrastructure.

Strong action to reduce methane emissions is critical to maximising Gas' commercial, social and environmental value. We applaud the many IGU members who are already committed to reducing their methane emissions by at least 30% and to operating with near-zero leaks by 2030.

IGU welcomes the fact that over 50% of the Oil & Gas industry is now committed to near-zero emissions, from less than 20% of the industry five years ago. This increased commitment has delivered measurable results, with the global average methane intensity in the upstream oil and natural gas industry declining by 10% since 2019.

However, much more needs to be done. Declining average methane intensity levels mask significant performance disparities across regions and countries, disparities that must be addressed. To succeed, methane emissions must be consistently reduced globally and across the entire natural gas value chain. This is where the IGU can, and is, playing a critical role.

With IGU's membership widely representative of the global Gas industry, we are ideally placed to help members move up the emission performance spectrum. Peer-to-peer sharing and regionally based dialogues that IGU facilitates are powerful knowledge and best practice sharing mechanisms, as these continue to build the capacity and ambition necessary to drive methane emissions out of the full natural gas value chain.

IGU's Director for Policy and Analysis, Mark McCrory said: "I am confident that, together, our global Gas industry will continue to do more and do better to tackle methane emissions as Gas is essential to human progress and global growth, and its availability, flexibility and affordability make it one of the best-suited energy choices."