Environmental Group urges EU negotiators for climate leadership ahead of the November 14 trilogue
Brussels, 10 November 2023 -- Negotiators are gearing up for high-stakes talks that could decide the fate of the European Union's ambitious proposal to curb planet-warming methane emissions from the energy sector.
Representatives from the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission will meet on Tuesday, 14 November to hammer out a compromise agreement on the European Commission's proposed regulation.
The EU's Methane Regulation aims to reduce methane emissions from fossil fuel operations in line with international commitments like the Global Methane Pledge.
Flavia Sollazzo, Senior Director, EU Energy Transition at Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDF Europe) says: “As the world's largest natural gas importer, the EU can no longer outsource pollution while claiming climate leadership. The bloc’s external 'methane footprint' is up to 8 times higher than its domestic emissions and worse still, we know through scientific measurements that in most places, emissions are underreported. On 14 November, the EU must match rhetoric with action by passing an ambitious Methane Regulation that includes a performance standard on imports.”
Extreme weather events have accelerated worldwide since the EU first proposed the regulation in 2021. This summer has surpassed heat records as we are watching a climate disaster unfold – with more intense heatwaves, floods and storms. “Because it stays in our atmosphere for less time, reducing methane is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to slow down global warming and stabilize our climate. But we must act now”, says Sollazzo.
The IEA in its 2023 Methane Tracker estimates that in 2022, the global energy sector was responsible for nearly 40% of total human-caused methane emissions, second only to agriculture. It estimates that around 75% of methane emissions from fossil fuel operations could be reduced with existing technology – two-thirds of it at no net cost. “There is no more time to waste. This regulation is long overdue, but we’re hopeful the EU will step up to act on this golden opportunity for climate action,” says Sollazzo.
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Notes to editors:
The Methane Menace
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas identified as the second-largest contributor to global warming, with a warming potential over 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide during the first 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere. Atmospheric concentration of methane is increasing faster now than at any time since the 1980s. Methane emissions from human activity are responsible for at least 25% of today's warming. The oil and gas sector stands out as a significant contributor, with methane emissions about 70% higher than official data shows and expected to increase.
About The Environmental Defense Fund
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