COP30 Day 6: UN says methane emission still poorly managed

UN head of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition for methane pollution, Martina Otto, said methane emissions are as poorly managed as carbon dioxide.

However, she noted there is hope over the next five years

because methane breaks down much more quickly in the atmosphere, even though it is nearly 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide in heating the planet.

Otto added that emissions can be contained below 8% if countries act on their climate commitments, beating expectations of a 13% rise.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell continued to urge faster climate action as the summit entered its second week.

“The pace of change in the real economy has not been matched by the pace of progress in these negotiating rooms,” Stiell said. “The time for performative diplomacy has now passed.”

Indonesia’s energy dilemma

While COP30 gatherings have trumpeted the success of the renewable energy transition, Reuters reported that stalled funding from richer nations is putting Indonesia’s plan to phase out coal at risk.

Despite a $20 billion pledge from 10 countries under the 2022 Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), JETP Indonesia Secretariat head Paul Butarbutar said the coal phase-out has received no concrete commitments.

“If there is no one really willing to jump in to finance the coal phase-out, then we will have to think about whether phase-out is actually the best option,” Butarbutar told Reuters on the sidelines of the event.

Taiwan bank to invest in biodiversity

Taiwan’s banking major E.SUN Bank has signed a strategic partnership with the World Climate Foundation to advance nature-based investments and biodiversity initiatives across Asia. The partnership aims to bring together financial institutions, industry leaders, policymakers and researchers to scale funding for biodiversity conservation, natural capital and emerging biodiversity credit systems.

WCF Chairman Jens Nielsen said E.SUN’s leadership would strengthen the coalition’s impact in Asia and promote science-based nature-finance practices globally.

E.SUN Chairman Huang said COP30 marks a shift in global climate action — moving beyond carbon metrics to focus on adaptation, resilience and quality of life. Citing Taiwan’s geography and recent extreme weather events, he called for urgent, inclusive climate measures. The bank has already partnered with 18 major hospitals on Sustainable Healthcare MOUs aimed at boosting medical resilience and supporting vulnerable communities.

Also Read: COP 30 Day 1: UN stresses cooperation, claims Paris Agreement is working, highlights AI innovation