Regulating Methane Emissions

Methane regulations limit and reduce methane leaks, venting, flaring, and other sources of methane emissions from natural gas operations (production, transport of the gas, and use of natural gas). Examples of global methane reduction organizations include the Global Methane Pledge, Global Methane Alliance, and the Global Methane Initiative.

Methane is a major contributor to climate change. Methane is far less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2), but methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 (methane is around 80 times more potent than CO2). Methane lasts for less time in the atmosphere vs. CO2 (methane lasts for only a matter of a decade or two).

Methane is a “powerful” greenhouse gas that has 80 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, UNEP says. Since pre-industrial times, methane has caused about 30% of global warming."  FROM  -  weforum.org/agenda/2022/10/methane leaks

Following are snippets focused on 3 major global methane emission reduction initiatives, starting with the COP 26 announcement of the Global Methane Pledge>>>

Global Methane Pledge

At the COP 26 in Glasgow...

"Rapidly reducing methane emissions from energy, agriculture, and waste can achieve near-term gains in our efforts in this decade for decisive action and is regarded as the single most effective strategy to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5˚C within reach while yielding co-benefits including improving public health and agricultural productivity.

"Participants joining the Pledge agree to take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030, which could eliminate over 0.2˚C warming by 2050. This is a global, not a national reduction target. Participants also commit to moving towards using the highest tier IPCC good practice inventory methodologies, as well as working to continuously improve the accuracy, transparency, consistency, comparability, and completeness of national greenhouse gas inventory reporting under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, and to provide greater transparency in key sectors." --  globalmethanepledge.org

"Launched by US, EU, and Partners of the Global Methane Pledge to Keep 1.5C Within Reach... 2 Nov 2021: Today, the United States, the European Union, and partners formally launched the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative... "| | "...to catalyze methane emissions reductions in the oil and gas sector, advancing both climate progress and energy security."

"The Global Methane Pledge is a strong first step as the first-ever Heads-of State global commitment to cut methane emissions at a level consistent with a 1.5°C..."

"With over 100 countries on board, representing nearly 50% of global anthropogenic methane emissions and over two thirds of global GDP, we are well on our way to achieving the Pledge goal and preventing more than 8 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from reaching the atmosphere annually by 2030."  From  -  globalmethanepledge.org

Global Methane Alliance | Climate & Clean Air Coalition

"The Global Methane Alliance aims to support countries that commit to ambitious methane reduction targets in the oil and gas sector.

The Global Alliance to Significantly Reduce Methane Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector by 2030 or Global Methane Alliance brings together governments, financing institutions, international organizations and NGOs, and industry to support ambitious methane reduction targets from the oil and gas industry.

Countries that join the Alliance commit to include methane reduction targets from the oil and gas sector in their Nationally Determined Contribution, as part of their overall greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Countries will have the option to choose an absolute reduction target or a methane intensity target, depending on their actual methane emissions and of the level of development of their oil and gas industry.

• Absolute reduction target of at least 45% reduction in methane emissions by 2025 and 60% to 75% by 2030. These are realistic and achievable targets, especially in a sector where technology and financing are largely available, and innovation supports even larger reductions.
• Intensity target of “near-zero” methane emissions. Countries that select this approach should target an intensity of 0.25% or below.

International organizations and NGOs will support countries pursuing these targets through technical assistance and policy support. Participating oil and gas companies will share knowledge, technologies, and best management practices.

Reductions across the oil and gas industry in line with the Global Methane Alliance could reduce global emissions by 6 gigatons CO2e by 2030. According to the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2019, this would achieve between 20%-50% of the emissions required to limit climate warming to 2-degrees. Reducing a short-lived climate pollutant like methane can buy us time to act more decisively in reducing CO2 emissions.

Companies involved in the CCAC’s Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) reduce methane leaks from nine key sources in upstream oil and gas operations following technical guidance documents that make the economic case for methane emissions reduction.

[Major partner of this alliance are:

Lead, Implementer - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Clean Air Task Force

Cote d'Ivoire

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

Nigeria"  FROM   --  cacoalition.org/en/activity/global-methane-alliance