President von der Leyen’s final State of the Union address in September is an excellent opportunity to raise the profile of the Methane Regulation and much needed progress towards achieving the Global Methane Pledge. Acting now to reduce methane pollution is critical to meet climate targets. Together with NGOs across Europe, we are calling on President von der Leyen to push for an ambitious Methane Regulation and progress towards achieving the Global Methane Pledge. 

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Dear President von der Leyen,

In less than two months, you will deliver your final State of the Union address – a unique opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of your mandate, as well as your vision to tackle the fiercest challenges ahead. We, the undersigned organisations, are grateful for your commitment in the fight against climate change, and are writing to urge you to use this address to highlight one of the most important – and most overlooked – climate threats: the steep rise of global methane emissions, and to call for the adoption of an ambitious regulation by the end of this legislative term.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that is more than 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere over 20 years, and it is responsible for nearly half of our net global temperature increase today. Methane also contributes to increasing concentrations of ground-level ozone, degrading air quality and deteriorating human health. Current methane concentrations are well above the 2°C degree scenarios envisioned by the IPCC, and because emissions continue to rise fast, methane now poses the greatest single threat to passing irreversible climate tipping points.

The European Commission’s leadership in the fight against methane emissions has been commendable, and we welcome your co-creation of the Global Methane Pledge at COP26, the methane reduction incentives included in the REPowerEU Plan, and the European Commission’s proposal for a Methane Regulation, which presents an opportunity to tackle the EU’s methane emissions from its oil, gas, and coal sectors. If boldly concluded, this file could be one of the most impactful pieces of legislation advancing the European Green Deal.

Despite these positive steps, the fight against methane emissions remains peripheral in the fight against climate change, even though it has the greatest impact on accelerating global warming. Therefore, we are asking that you highlight the importance of securing an ambitious EU Methane Regulation in your forthcoming State of the Union Address, as well as the importance of accelerated and measured progress towards achieving the Global Methane Pledge. This would help build valuable support across Member States, the EU Institutions, and partner countries for one of the most impactful solutions to slow global warming and increase European energy security.

With the impacts of climate change worsening every year, we can no longer afford to overlook one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to slow down current warming. We urgently need broader awareness, stronger support, and bolder action to reduce global methane emissions, and we hope you will consider using your platform this September to help deliver it.

Sincerely,

2Celsius – Mihai Stoica, Executive Director

Centre for Transport and Energy – Veronika Murzynová, Energy transition expert

Clean Air Task Force – Jonathan Banks, Global Director, Methane Pollution Prevention

Deutsche Umwelthilfe – Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Executive Director

Ecologistas en Acción - Luis Rico García-Amado, Coordinator

eco-union – Jérémie Fosse, President

Ember – Eleanor Whittle, Programme Lead, Coal Mine Methane

Environmental Defense Fund Europe – Flavia Sollazzo, Senior Director EU Energy Transition

Environmental Investigation Agency – Mary Rice, Executive Director

Food & Water Action Europe – Enrico Donda, Campaigner

Fundación Renovables – Raquel Paule, Executive Director

Instrat Foundation – Michał Hetmański, CEO

Legambiente – Stefano Ciafani, President