Governments around the world have heavily underreported the levels of methane emissions from the energy sector.
Methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and has a significant impact on rising global temperatures.
The worrying finding comes from the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) which suggests global energy-related methane emissions are about 70% greater than the amount national governments have officially reported.
It is estimated that the energy sector accounts for around 40% of methane emissions from human activity.
The IEA’s Global Methane Tracker shows that methane emissions from the energy sector grew by just under 5% last year.
The report which is based on data received by satellites, suggests Texas and parts of Central Asia had significant emissions last year.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said: “At today’s elevated natural gas prices, nearly all of the methane emissions from oil and gas operations worldwide could be avoided at no net cost.
“The International Energy Agency has been a longstanding champion of stronger action to cut methane emissions. A vital part of those efforts is transparency on the size and location of the emissions, which is why the massive underreporting revealed by our Global Methane Tracker is so alarming.”
A few days ago, an Imperial London College research found that London produces up to a third more methane than previously thought.