The city of Lima hosted the Second Regional Latin American and Caribbean Methane Summit, held on July 23 and 24. The event established itself as a milestone on the regional climate calendar, bringing together senior ministerial officials, representatives of the energy sector, multilateral organizations, and international experts to discuss concrete solutions for mitigating methane emissions, one of the greenhouse gases.
The summit was organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE), the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the Global Methane Hub (GMH), Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the International Energy Agency (IEA).
During the opening session, Peru’s Vice Minister of Electricity, Iris Cárdenas, emphasized that one ton of methane has an impact equivalent to 28 tons of CO2, making its control a cost-effective strategy for meeting the Paris Agreement, protecting public health, and promoting a low-emissions economy. She also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to developing natural gas as a transition energy source.
Marcelo Mena, CEO of the GMH, noted that Latin America and the Caribbean is a world leader in renewable energy share and has a growing number of companies committed to measuring and reducing methane. He warned that climate change is increasing global economic risks: “as the temperature rises, the world becomes less insurable,” while Santiago Rojas, CAF’s regional manager, praised the creation of the Methane Emissions Observatory as a key tool for consolidating regional reduction commitments.
OLACDE’s Executive Secretary, Andrés Rebolledo, pointed out that, despite accounting for only 5% of global natural gas production, Latin America concentrates 30% of the regional energy sector’s emissions linked to oil and gas. Rebolledo highlighted the role of natural gas and the importance of advancing energy integration through existing infrastructure such as the region’s 70,000 kilometers of pipelines.
The summit included 11 thematic panels, with more than 40 speakers and representatives from 22 countries. Topics addressed included financing mechanisms for methane mitigation, the development of biomethane as a decarbonization alternative, regulatory frameworks, and the current status of NDCs within the context of climate negotiations.
Successful experiences from companies, governments, and public-private partnerships in implementing technologies and policies for measuring, reporting, and verifying emissions were also shared.
At the closing session, Gastón Siroit, director of the Methane Emissions Observatory (OEMLAC), called for strengthening collaborative work among governments, parliaments, academia, multilateral organizations, and the private sector:
“Collective commitment was key to the success of this summit. We must keep these shared efforts alive and continue driving forward an agenda that links regulation, financing, data, and technological innovation as pillars of sustainable development.”
With this summit concluded, the region is moving more firmly toward coordinated climate action, with an emphasis on methane as a strategic vector for accelerating the energy transition and strengthening regional resilience.
