Commission only scratches the surface

Today, the European Commission has just presented its new Methane Strategy, which does not live up to promise of greater climate protection under the European Green Deal. The Commission itself writes that methane emissions must be reduced by 35% to achieve 55% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. However, the measures presented today will not significantly reduce methane emissions, let alone phase out fossil fuels. No binding measures at all are foreseen for agriculture, the largest emitter of methane, and only small steps for emissions from gas, oil and coal extraction, infrastructure and from waste. No changes are foreseen for biogas production from food, which releases large quantities of methane. 
 
Bas Eickhout MEP, Greens/EFA Vice Chair of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, comments:

"The European Commission is only scratching the surface and limiting itself to minor issues, such as the obligation to plug leaks and producing statistics. Just counting emissions alone will not help when we urgently need action to reduce them. With this methane strategy, the Commission will miss its own climate target of 55% fewer emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. Monitoring and verification is not enough, we need clear targets and objectives to reduce methane emissions in the energy sector, in agriculture and in waste and waste water treatment. 
 
"The European Commission is just reducing the problems to improving the data situation, long overdue obligations and, relieving the agricultural sector of its responsibilities to act. There is nothing in the strategy on the counterproductive use of cultivated biomass such as maize or other foodstuffs for biogas plants, which must be stopped. We need an amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive, not new support measures. The only ray of light is the announcement to look at methane emissions in the supply chain. We call on the Commission to set standards and introduce certification procedures as soon as possible."
 
Background:
Methane causes 24% of global warming and is a precursor of ground-level ozone. This makes methane a problem for climate, environment and health. 59% of methane emissions are man-made. In the EU, agriculture accounts for more than half of this figure (53%), followed by waste management with more than a quarter (26%) and the energy sector with around a fifth (19%). The European Parliament has voted for a 60% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030.

The Methane Strategy can be found online here.