Brussels, 7 May 2025 - The IEA’s 2025 Global Methane Tracker confirms that methane emissions from fossil fuel operations remain alarmingly high: 120 million tonnes leaked in 2024 alone. This volume of preventable emissions is equivalent to the EU’s entire annual residential gas demand, underscoring the scale of inefficiency and risk embedded in today’s global supply chains.

For Europe, where energy security now means reducing dependence on unreliable partners, this is a flashing warning light.

The EU Methane Regulation is designed to respond to exactly this challenge. It mandates clear rules for measuring, reporting, and verifying methane emissions, making transparency a condition for doing business in Europe. Methane intensity becomes a proxy for operational excellence and trustworthiness.

By setting import standards and encouraging international accountability, the EU is helping drive better practices globally to reduce risks, cut avoidable waste, and reinforce sovereignty during the clean energy transition. Methane accountability is no longer just about emissions. It’s about control, credibility, and building energy systems that are as resilient as they are sustainable.

“The IEA’s new data reinforces a simple truth: transparency is now central to energy security. Europe cannot afford to rely on high-emitting suppliers. With the EU Methane Regulation, we are setting clear expectations - rewarding reliability, cutting waste, and protecting against supply chain risk,” says Lea Pilsner, Senior Policy Manager, Environmental Defense Fund Europe