Tackling the emissions could make billions of cubic metres of gas available to international markets, a top priority as the war in the Middle East squeezes energy supplies, the report said.

"With methane emissions from energy sector near record highs, tried-and-tested abatement measures could make 200 billion cubic metres of natural gas available annually," said The Global Methane Tracker 2026 report.

"If select countries with spare existing gas export capacity and importing countries were to implement readily accessible methane abatement measures across their gas systems, nearly 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas could very quickly be made available to markets," it said.

Over the longer term such measures "could deliver nearly 100 bcm of gas to markets each year, while eliminating non-emergency gas flaring could unlock a further 100 bcm," it said.

The report, based on data from satellites and measurement campaigns, presents emissions findings for 2025 and explores various abatement measures and associated costs.