About 100 nations back pledge to slash methane emissions, U.S. says

COP26 in Glasgow
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the Global Methane Pledge event during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

GLASGOW, Nov 2 (Reuters) - About 100 nations have pledged to cut emissions of methane as part of efforts to contain global warming, U.S. President Joe Biden told delegates at the U.N. climate conference.

"One of the most important things we can do in this decisive decade to keep 1.5 degrees in reach is reduce our methane emissions as quickly as possible," Biden said, referring to a target to contain global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. "It is one of the most potent greenhouse gases there is."

Biden, who spelled out U.S. commitments to reduce its own methane emissions, said "approaching 100 nations" were signing on to the global methane pledge. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry had earlier put the figure at more than 100 nations.

Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Edmund Blair and Jon Boyle

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