EU Commission paves way for regulating methane emissions in 2021

(EurActiv, 14 Oct 2020) The European Commission has opted for a “holistic” approach to address the global warming impact of methane, putting the emphasis on international cooperation first before regulating emissions in sectors like energy and agriculture next year.

The Commission’s methane strategy, unveiled on Wednesday (14 October), shies away from  imposing immediate measures forcing energy companies to detect and repair methane leaks along the oil and gas supply chain, even though those are the easiest to tackle.

Because of its high global warming potential, methane is considered a priority under the European Green Deal, which seeks to bring emissions down to net-zero by 2050.

In order to reach Europe’s 2030 climate goal of reducing emissions by 55%, “we would need to reduce methane by one third,” said Kadri Simson, the EU’s energy commissioner.

And although agriculture – in particular cattle farming – is the single biggest emitter of methane, “it’s in the energy sector that we can cut them fastest and cheapest,” Simson said at a press conference on Wednesday.

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EurActiv, 14 Oct 2020: EU Commission paves way for regulating methane emissions in 2021