US, China pledge joint methane action at climate talks

The International Energy Agency said planet-heating methane released by the fossil fuel industry rose to near-record highs in 2023 despite technology available to curb the pollution at virtually no cost. [AFP]

The United States and China promised Friday to work together on reduction of methane, the second most abundant greenhouse gas, after talks between the climate envoys of the world's two largest emitters.

Chinese climate envoy Liu Zhenmin and White House climate advisor John Podesta met for the first time since the departure of their predecessors, whose unusually close relationship helped bring consensus at last year's COP28 summit in Dubai.