COP29: IGU head says methane control, finance for renewable gases critical

 The president of the International Gas Union (IGU), speaking at COP29 in Baku this week, said financing for renewable gases is critical for the energy transition to succeed and reducing methane emissions is critical for natural gas to remain relevant.

In her opening remarks November 19 to a panel discussing Active Actions on Methane Emission Control, Madam Yalan Li, whose term as president of the IGU will end at the 2025 World Gas Conference in Beijing next spring, said reducing methane is a fast, effective and cost-efficient way to mitigate climate change and said “high ambition and strong actions” to reduce methane emissions are key to maximising the commercial and environmental value of natural gas.

“We will drive methane emissions abatement by using technological progress, financing and collaboration with all our industry’s stakeholders,” she said.

At an earlier panel on financing renewable gases, Madam Li emphasised three critical aspects for the successful and rapid global uptake of renewable gases: appropriate policies for development, the need for research and innovation, and the facilitation of finance through public and private investments in renewable gases.