A European Union law that would tackle the potent greenhouse gas through forcing companies sending oil and gas to Europe to cut their methane emissions is now been sought by the European Parliament.
This is as the impact of methane emissions on climate change is second only to carbon dioxide. It is the main component of natural gas and has a far higher warming effect in the short term, meaning rapid cuts are needed this decade to avoid severe global warming.
On Wednesday, two committees of the European Parliament expressed support for the plan to target imports of oil and gas, thereby setting the stage for tough negotiations with EU countries that want weaker rules applicable only inside the 27-country European Union.
“Without ambitious measures to reduce methane emissions, Europe will miss its climate target,” lead EU lawmaker Jutta Paulus was quoted as saying.
The committees wants the EU to mandate oil and gas companies to check their above-ground infrastructure every two-to-four months, and repair any methane leaks they discover.
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The lawmakers said importers of oil and gas into Europe must prove that the overseas suppliers of those fossil fuels do the same as from 2026.
Importers who made “all reasonable endeavours” to get the information, but failed may be exempted from penalties for failing to comply with the EU law as procuring that proof is not always easy.
The EU imports more than 80% of its gas. Most methane emissions associated with that consumption occur abroad.
Norway, whose hydrocarbons production has among the world’s lowest methane emissions intensity, was the EU’s top gas supplier in 2022 after Russia cut deliveries over its incursion of Ukraine.
The Parliament and EU countries will negotiate the final methane law after the full EU parliament’s vote on the committees’ proposal next month.
EU countries want weaker rules for European companies, and only a few – including Germany and Poland – have said they would be willing to extend the EU rules to cover fossil fuel imports.
Story was adapted from Reuters.
