An international conference to move the Global Methane Pledge and 30×30 from voluntary to legally binding commitments has major advantages for climate, biodiversity, and governance, and is strategically very strong.

Strong climate and health impact

• Methane cuts of at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030 could avoid over 0.2°C of warming by 2050, making a critical contribution to keeping 1.5°C within reach.

• Implementing the methane goal at scale is projected to prevent hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and asthma hospitalizations annually, and tens of millions of tons of crop losses, through reduced ground‑level ozone.

• The 30×30 target supports climate mitigation by protecting ecosystems that currently absorb around 56% of anthropogenic CO₂, amplifying nature‑based climate solutions.

Biodiversity, ecosystem, and food‑system resilience

• Protecting at least 30% of land and sea, especially areas most important for biodiversity, can safeguard the majority of species if protection is well‑designed and connected.

• 30×30 responds directly to the shortcomings of earlier Aichi targets, which increased protected area coverage but often failed on effectiveness, connectivity, and equity; a legally binding framework can embed these quality standards.

• Conserving critical ecosystems under 30×30 improves air and water quality, supports fish stocks and pollinators, and thus strengthens food security in tandem with methane‑driven yield gains.

Advantages of making pledges legally binding

• Legally binding agreements clarify obligations, create monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and attach consequences to non‑compliance, which significantly increases accountability compared with purely voluntary pledges.

• Binding rules provide a uniform framework and common standards, reducing the “race to the bottom” dynamic where countries weaken environmental rules to stay competitive.

• They also open the door to legal remedies and dispute‑settlement options, giving vulnerable states and communities more leverage when commitments are not met.

Strategic value of your proposed conference

• The Global Methane Pledge already has over 150 participants and is generating work streams (energy, waste, agriculture, data, finance); a conference that explicitly aims at legal codification can channel this momentum into treaty‑like structures and stronger national implementation.

• The 30×30 target has been adopted under the Global Biodiversity Framework by most countries; a dedicated forum to translate that political agreement into binding access, finance, safeguards, and implementation rules fills a clear gap identified after the partial success of Aichi Target 11.

• Bringing methane and 30×30 together highlights the synergies between rapid methane abatement and nature protection, strengthening the case for integrated finance packages, joint MRV systems, and nature‑based solutions rather than siloed negotiations.

Political, financial, and narrative benefits

• A focused international conference can crystallize expectations for development banks, private finance, and philanthropy, which are already recognized as central to methane abatement and protected‑area expansion.

• It offers a platform for high‑ambition states and coalitions (including youth, Indigenous, and frontline communities) to shape design principles: equity, just transition for fossil‑fuel‑dependent economies, rights‑based conservation, and community‑led protection.

• Framing it around “making existing pledges real and enforceable” leverages political commitments that governments have already endorsed, making it harder to resist stronger follow‑through while offering them international recognition for leadership.