A new United Nations assessment on global methane emissions has warned that India, already the world’s third-largest methane emitter, does not have a dedicated policy framework to reduce emissions from its biggest source: agriculture and livestock.

The Global Methane Status Report highlights that India’s agricultural activities alone contribute 12% of global agricultural methane emissions, among the highest shares worldwide, largely driven by its vast livestock population and extensive rice cultivation.

This is the first official status report since the Global Methane Pledge was introduced by the UN Environment Programme at COP30

According to the report, India emitted around 31 million tonnes of methane in 2020, accounting for 9% of global methane emissions. Methane, a potent heat-trapping gas, is released mainly through enteric fermentation in cattle, manure handling, and paddy cultivation under waterlogged conditions.

While the assessment acknowledges that millions of Indian farmers rely on livestock and rice farming for their livelihoods, it points to a significant policy gap: India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) do not specify any measures to reduce methane from agriculture, even though it is the country’s largest source of methane emissions.

The report identifies India as a major global hotspot for crop residue burning, a significant contributor to methane emissions. Alongside China, South Korea and Southeast Asian nations, India continues to witness an increase in stubble burning despite global declines. It highlights a lack of strong, targeted policies to curb residue burning, particularly in densely populated farming regions.

The assessment notes that projected global methane levels have declined due to stricter waste regulations in Europe and North America and a slower rise in natural gas market expansion between 2020 and 2024. These regions are expected to reduce methane emissions further by 2030 based on legislation already in place.

However, the UN warns that such progress remains insufficient. It emphasises that full-scale adoption of proven methane-control technologies and mitigation practices is essential for countries to meet the Global Methane Pledge, which targets a 30% reduction in global methane emissions by 2030.

Achieving the pledge could avert 0.2°C of global warming by 2050, prevent over 180,000 premature deaths annually, and avoid nearly 19 million tonnes of crop losses each year by 2030. The estimated economic benefits from these avoided impacts exceed USD 330 billion annually.

The report projects an 8% increase in methane emissions from rice cultivation in India between 2020 and 2030. With India hosting the largest livestock population globally, methane produced through enteric fermentation and manure remains exceptionally high.

The assessment notes that India has significant potential to curb methane through improved paddy irrigation techniques such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), better manure management, and wider utilisation of crop residues, but these areas remain insufficiently addressed in national plans.

(By Jitendra Choubey of The New Indian Express)