The Member of Parliament for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere-Duah, has called on governments, institutions and citizens to urgently commit to methane reduction and mitigation measures, describing it as one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to tackle climate change.Accra, Ghana — Delivering a statement on the floor of the Parliament of Ghana, the Berekum West legislator stressed that reducing methane emissions could significantly slow global warming and improve public health.The statement follows his participation in the methane session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union parliamentary meeting during the COP30 held in Brazil last year.According to him, methane is one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases, warming the planet more than 80 times faster than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.He noted that methane currently accounts for about 30 percent of the global temperature rise since the pre-industrial era, making it the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.The MP warned that methane emissions have severe environmental and health consequences. When released into the atmosphere, methane reacts with other gases to form ground-level ozone, a toxic air pollutant linked to about one million premature deaths worldwide each year.He further explained that methane pollution also affects food production, reducing yields of major crops such as rice, wheat, maize and soya by about 5 to 7 percent annually, thereby threatening global food security.Mr Kyere-Duah indicated that human activities account for about 60 percent of global methane emissions, with agriculture contributing 40 percent, energy sources including fossil fuels 35 percent, waste management 20 percent, and other sources 5 percent.Unlike carbon dioxide, however, methane remains in the atmosphere for only about a decade, meaning that cutting emissions now can produce rapid climate and health benefits within a short time.The legislator commended the leadership of the Parliament of Ghana for strengthening collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union on climate action.He recalled that Parliament launched a strategic partnership with the IPU last year under the initiative “Enhancing Parliamentary Action on Climate Change: Strengthening the Role of Parliament in Reducing Methane Emissions.”Through the partnership, a three-day workshop and field visit to rice farms in the Eastern Region was organised to educate farmers on modern agricultural practices that reduce methane emissions.Hon. Kyere-Duah emphasised that Parliament has a critical role in turning climate commitments into practical results through legislation, budget allocations and oversight.He therefore proposed several measures for the House to strengthen Ghana’s methane reduction agenda.These include allocating adequate funding for climate action in the national budget, reviewing environmental and agricultural laws to incorporate methane-reduction measures, promoting public awareness and citizen participation, and strengthening parliamentary oversight.He suggested that the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Science and Technology hold annual progress hearings to track Ghana’s methane-reduction efforts and ensure accountability among relevant ministries and agencies.Mr Kyere-Duah concluded that reducing methane emissions would improve air quality, protect farmers, enhance energy efficiency and safeguard public health.“Reducing methane emissions is both a climate necessity and a moral duty,” he told the House.