Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott has given $60 million to the Global Methane Hub as methane cuts gain importance in the fight against climate change. Yield Giving’s official database lists the contribution as a 2025 gift to the organisation. The Global Methane Hub works to reduce methane emissions from energy, agriculture and waste. The donation comes at a critical time for methane action. The International Energy Agency’s latest assessment found no sign that methane emissions from fossil fuel operations fell in 2025. This is despite the availability of proven ways to reduce them. Methane is also responsible for nearly 30% of the rise in global average temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, according to the IEA. Its strong warming effect and the availability of existing solutions have made methane reduction an increasingly important climate priority.
MacKenzie Scott’s $60 million methane gift
Yield Giving lists the Global Methane Hub among Scott’s 2025 recipients with a $60 million gift. The organisation is classified under climate change funding. Its mission is to accelerate methane reductions across energy, agriculture and waste. It works with governments, researchers, civil society groups, investors and businesses. Yield Giving also records an earlier 2024 gift to the Global Methane Hub. The amount of that gift was not disclosed at the time. The Associated Press reported that the $60 million contribution was Scott’s second gift to the organisation.Scott’s methane donation was part of a much larger year of giving. AP reported that she gave $7.1 billion to nonprofits in 2025. That took her total giving since 2019 to $26.3 billion. Her 2025 grants included several major climate contributions. The Global Methane Hub received $60 million. AP also reported that the organisation grants about $100 million a year to projects focused on reducing methane emissions.
Why methane matters so much for the climate
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with a much shorter atmospheric lifetime than carbon dioxide. The IEA says methane remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years. Carbon dioxide can remain for centuries. Methane still has a much stronger warming effect during that period. The IEA says atmospheric methane concentrations are now 2.7 times higher than before the Industrial Revolution. It also estimates that methane is responsible for nearly 30% of the rise in global average temperatures since then.That short atmospheric lifetime gives methane cuts an important advantage. Reducing emissions can slow the rate of warming within a relatively short period. Methane reductions can also reduce ground-level ozone. This is a harmful air pollutant that affects people and ecosystems. The UN also identifies rapid methane cuts as one of the most effective ways to slow near-term warming. It stresses that methane action must happen alongside deep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions.
Fossil fuel methane emissions are still not falling
The latest IEA data provide a strong reason for the growing focus on methane. The agency’s Global Methane Tracker 2026 found no sign that methane emissions from fossil fuel operations fell in 2025. Fossil fuels account for about 35% of human-caused methane emissions. The IEA estimates that oil, gas and coal operations produced about 124 million tonnes of methane in 2025. Oil accounted for about 44 million tonnes. Natural gas produced about 34 million tonnes. Coal accounted for about 39 million tonnes.The broader energy sector produces an even larger share. It includes bioenergy as well as fossil fuels. The IEA estimates that the energy sector emitted nearly 150 million tonnes of methane in 2025. That represents about 40% of methane emissions from human activity. Keeping the two figures separate is important. Fossil fuels make up most energy-related methane emissions but are not the entire energy sector.
Existing technology can already cut a large share
The methane challenge does not depend entirely on new technology. The IEA estimates that about 70% of methane emissions from fossil fuel operations can be reduced with existing technology. This amounts to nearly 85 million tonnes. Around three-quarters of oil and gas methane can be abated. The figure is about half for coal methane. More than 35 million tonnes could be avoided at no net cost based on average energy prices in 2025.Available measures include detecting and repairing leaks. Operators can also replace equipment that releases methane. Capturing gas that would otherwise be vented can prevent emissions. Reducing routine flaring can help as well. The IEA says tried-and-tested policies could cut methane emissions from oil and gas operations by more than half if implemented globally. Additional policies based on better emissions data could push the reduction above 75%.
Why the Global Methane Hub’s role is growing
The Global Methane Hub funds and supports organisations working to reduce methane emissions. It also brings together governments, researchers and other groups to speed up action. The organisation says methane mitigation remains significantly underfunded compared with other areas of climate finance. It aims to direct more funding towards projects that can deliver rapid methane reductions.Scott’s $60 million gift comes as the gap between potential and actual methane cuts remains significant. The IEA says many proven solutions already exist. Yet emissions from fossil fuel operations showed no sign of falling in 2025. Better measurement can help identify major sources. Funding can then support policies and projects that address them. Scott’s contribution gives the Global Methane Hub more philanthropic support as efforts to cut one of the world’s most powerful short-lived greenhouse gases gain momentum.