At the center of Biden’s US methane strategy is a rule from the EPA that would push oil and gas companies to more accurately detect, monitor and repair methane leaks from new and existing wells, pipelines and other equipment. The agency estimates the rule would cut 41 million tons of methane emissions from 2023 to 2035 — more greenhouse gas than all the carbon dioxide emitted by all US passenger cars and commercial planes in 2019.
The pledge aims slash global methane emissions by nearly 30% by the end of the decade. Since September, around 100 nations joined that pledge — some, including Brazil and Kuwait, just a day before the pledge was officially launched. China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, has not yet joined.
“This isn’t just something we have to do to protect the environment and our future,” Biden said. “It’s an enormous opportunity to all our nations to create jobs and make meeting climate goals a core part of our global economic recovery as well.”
Von der Leyen said EU will announce its own methane regulations next month, including rules to limit venting and flaring, and track and fix leaks.
“We cannot wait for 2050, we have to cut emissions fast,” von der Leyen said. “Cutting back on methane emissions is one of the most effective things we can do to reduce near-term global warming and keep 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is the lowest-hanging fruit.”
Source : cnn
