New EU methane regulation aimed at reducing harmful emissions from fossil fuels in Europe and abroad

The the first ever EU rules to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector in Europe and around the world have now become legal acts. This adoption is the next step in the implementation of the European Green Deal and REPowerEU. It shows Europe’s determination to fight harmful emissions at national and international level.

The new regulation is binding the fossil gas, oil and coal industry in Europe in terms of measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification their methane emissions in accordance with the highest monitoring standards, and taking actions to reduce them. Requires EU gas, oil and coal operators to stop routine avoidable flaring and to limit flaring and discharge to situations such as emergencies, technical failures or when necessary for safety reasons.

As Europe imports much of the fossil energy it consumes, the regulation will also help reduce methane emissions imported fossil fuels. The Regulation will gradually introduce more stringent requirements to ensure that exporters gradually apply Article the same monitoring, reporting and verification obligations as EU entities.

The new regulations require the Commission to introduce: tool for monitoring global methane emitters providing satellite-based information on the size, occurrence and location of high-emission sources within or outside the EU.

The Commission will also create a mechanism for quick warning about events related to “excessive emissions”, namely, events where facilities, equipment or infrastructure emit very large amounts of methane. The mechanism will act as an early warning system to detect excess emissions events and alert the EU or a non-EU country to take action to stop or prevent them.

Welcoming the final adoption of the regulation, the European Energy Commission said Kadri Simson

“Methane is the second largest contributor to global warming and air pollution, after CO2₂, responsible for around one third of greenhouse gas emissions, harming both our environment and our health. Thanks to the EU’s final adoption of the Methane Regulation, we now have the means to gain greater insight into the main sources of methane emissions in the energy sector. This will increase transparency and provide the tools necessary to reduce these potential emissions, both in the EU and globally.”

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