Survey reveals 90% of Brazilians back methane reduction efforts
A survey released on Tuesday (Apr. 29) reveals that 90 percent of Brazilians measures to reduce methane pollution in the country, the highest rate in Latin America and above the global average of 82 percent. In 2023, the figure stood at 87 percent.
The study was commissioned by the Global Methane Hub, an initiative that unites philanthropists, experts, non-profit and government organizations. With over $200 million in collective funding, it aims to accelerate global methane mitigation efforts.
Marcelo Mena, executive director of the Global Methane Hub, stated that the percentage in Brazil reflects the country’s current climate challenges.
“That’s why Brazilians are among the strongest ers of bold climate action in the Americas. They understand the stakes and view methane reduction as crucial to slowing the planet’s warming,” said Mena.
The survey also reveals that 53 percent of Brazilian respondents are familiar with methane. Additionally, about four in five a policy requiring the capture and use of waste methane in the oil and gas supply chain.
Other ed measures include monitoring methane emissions in agriculture (85% ) and creating a program to reduce emissions from waste, which would mandate recyclable separation and ban organic waste in landfills (90% ).
Methane
According to the Climate Observatory’s System of Estimates of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (SEEG), Brazil is the fifth-largest methane emitter globally and has experienced a rise in emissions. Agriculture is the primary contributor, with beef cattle being the leading source.
Methane (CH₄) emissions have a high impact on global warming. According to SEEG, methane molecules remain in the atmosphere for 10 to 20 years but are 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 100-year period.
According to SEEG coordinator David Tsai, limiting methane emissions in the atmosphere can deliver faster climate results than CO₂ reductions: a 45 percent drop could reduce global warming by 0.3°C by 2040.
“Although Brazil signed the Global Methane Pledge in 2021—a voluntary international commitment to cut methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030—its emissions have risen by 6 percent over the past three years. Brazil urgently needs to implement policies to reverse this trend in the next five years,” said Tsai.
Methodology
The Global Methane Hub survey was conducted in 17 countries, including Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, , , Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Online surveys were conducted between January 13 and February 8, 2025, with participants aged 18 and over who had internet access in each country. The results were weighted by age, gender, region, and education to ensure nationally representative samples.
According to the Global Methane Hub, at least 750 responses were collected in 12 countries—Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, , , Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom—resulting in a margin of error of approximately 3.6 percent. In the remaining five countries—Morocco, Oman, Botswana, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan—at least 600 responses were gathered, with a margin of error of about 4 percent.
