Paris: Atmospheric concentrations of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, are rising at an alarming pace, threatening global efforts to meet climate targets, researchers warned in a study published Tuesday in Environmental Research Letters. The international team, led by the Global Carbon Project, found that methane levels have increased 2.6-fold since pre-industrial times and continue to rise despite attempts to curb emissions.

Methane, the second most abundant human-made greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, is primarily released through agriculture, energy production, and landfill decomposition. Although its impact is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over the first 20 years, methane breaks down more quickly, presenting an opportunity to mitigate climate change in the short term.

Despite this, methane emissions are accelerating. In the 2000s, 6.1 million tonnes of methane were added to the atmosphere annually, rising to 20.9 million tonnes in the 2010s and hitting 41.8 million tonnes in 2020.

"Anthropogenic emissions have continued to increase in almost every other country in the world, except for Europe and Australia," said Global Carbon Project executive director Pep Canadell, citing China and Southeast Asia as significant contributors due to coal, oil, gas, and landfill activities.

The rising methane levels cast doubt on the success of the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to cut global emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. The pledge, signed by over 150 countries, does not include major emitters such as China, India, and Russia.

Rob Jackson of Stanford University, lead author of the study, warned that these goals may be elusive: "Right now, the goals of the Global Methane Pledge seem as distant as a desert oasis... We all hope they aren't a mirage."

China and the U.S. are planning a summit later this year to address non-CO2 greenhouse gases, potentially leading to further commitments.