What happened in COP30’s first week? Support for energy efficiency and a status report on methane show which climate initiatives are still making progress

Negotiations in the COP 30 climate talks are continuing in Belem, Brazil. The headlines are focusing on the divisions between countries that are shaping this year’s climate talks. But despite the doom and gloom, there are some practical steps being taken to support the transition towards lower-carbon energy. There may be a notable lack of significant new pledges. But making a pledge is the easy part. Implementation is always harder, and that is the focus for COP30.

At COP28 in Dubai two years ago, a goal was set to double the pace of global energy efficiency gains, from 2% a year to over 4% a year. Can we hit that goal, and what will it mean if we do?

To debate those questions, Ed Crooks and regular guest Amy Myers Jaffe are joined by Bob Hinkle, whose company Metrus Energy develops and finances efficiency and building energy upgrades across the US. Bob is there at the talks in Belem, and gives his perspective on the mood at the meeting. The presence of American businesses at the conference this year is definitely reduced compared to other recent COPs. But Bob still thinks it was well worth him going. He explains what he gets out of attending the COP, why energy efficiency has a vital role to play in cutting emissions, and why he is still optimistic about climate action.

Another initiative that came out of COP28 was the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (ODGC): a group of more than 50 of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, which aim to reach near-zero methane emissions and end routine flaring by 2030. Bjorn Otto Sverdrup is head of the secretariat for the OGDC, and he joins us having just returned from Belem.

Bjorn Otto tells Amy and Ed that there has been some real progress in the industry. The 12 leading international companies that are members of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative have reported some positive numbers: their methane emissions are down 62%, routine flaring is down 72%, and there’s been a 24% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions.

There is still huge potential for cutting in total greenhouse gas emissions by curbing methane leakage and routine flaring worldwide. How can we make more progress? Bjorn explains the scale of the opportunity, the real-world constraints, and the growing role of new technology including satellites and AI in detecting leaks.

 

Keep following the Energy Gang for more news and insight as COP30 wraps. Next week we’ll talk about what happed, what was promised, what didn’t happen, and what to expect on climate action in 2026.

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