As climate risks intensify worldwide, the United Nations has unveiled a new methane reduction strategy while highlighting the growing environmental impact of artificial intelligence infrastructure.

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• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched a global Call to Action on Methane during a climate-focused event held in London.
• Guterres warned that rising global temperatures, extreme weather events and ecosystem disruptions are increasing climate-related risks for communities and economies worldwide.
• Scientific assessments indicate that human activities have already raised global temperatures by approximately 1.37°C above pre-industrial levels.
• The United Nations emphasized that methane is nearly 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making rapid reductions critical.
• The new methane initiative targets emissions from fossil fuel operations, agricultural activities and waste management systems through improved monitoring and mitigation measures.
• The Global Methane Pledge now has support from 159 countries and the European Commission, aiming to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
• Guterres also raised concerns about the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence, citing increasing energy consumption by rapidly expanding data centres.
• The United Nations announced the Global Urban Data Centres Pact, bringing together 36 cities worldwide to promote sustainable digital infrastructure development.