At COP28 meeting, oil companies pledge to combat methane. Environmentalists call it a "smokescreen"

Fifty oil companies representing nearly half of global production are pledging to reach near-zero methane emissions and end routine flaring in their operations by 2030. That is according to president of this year’s U.N. climate talks, Sultan al-Jaber. Environmental groups pushing for a phase out of fossil fuels criticized the pledge, calling it a “smokescreen.” The pledge included major national oil companies such as Saudi Aramco, Brazil’s Petrobras and Sonangol, from Angola, and multi-nationals like Shell, TotalEnergies and BP. Methane can be released at several points along the operation of an oil and gas company, from fracking to when natural gas is produced, transported or stored.