EU: Methane Strategy
On 14 October 2020, the European Commission put forward a strategy for the reduction of methane emissions (COM(2020)663 final). The strategy focuses on cross-sectoral actions as well as on specific actions in the energy, agricultural, waste and wastewater sectors to reduce methane emission within the EU and globally. The ENVI Committee is the lead Committee for an own-initiative report on the strategy.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, second only to carbon dioxide in its overall contribution to climate change. In the absence of a policy dedicated to the reduction of anthropogenic methane emissions, the Commission plans to target all sectors - i.e. agriculture, waste and energy - as well as taking international and cross-sectoral actions such as improvements in measurement and reporting and through the establishment of an independent international methane emissions observatory. Moreover satellite-based detection and monitoring through the EU's Copernicus programme will be also strengthened. The Commission commits to reviewing relevant EU climate and environmental legislation and to support the acceleration of the development of the market for biogas from sustainable sources. These measures aim to contribute to the EU's commitments under the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement towards climate neutrality, as well as to the reduction of air pollution.