The European Parliament "urged" the Commission on Tuesday to propose a binding methane emissions reduction target which would also apply to petrochemicals. This would be in place for all relevant sectors by the end of 2025.
Whilst there is already an EU strategy in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and very specific legislation to reduce CO2 emissions – there is still no EU legislation to reduce methane emissions specifically.
However, the warming effect of this gas over 20 years is 80 times more powerful than that of carbon dioxide, stressed Environment Committee chair Pascal Canfin (Renew). Methane is thus responsible for about a third of current global warming, according to MEPs.
The proposal set out by the Commission at the end of 2021 only concerns direct emissions from the energy sector (oil, fossil gas and biomethane once injected into the gas grid). With 499 votes in favour, 73 against and 55 abstentions, MEPs adopted their negotiating position with the Council (Member States) for this proposal on Tuesday; they also want the new legislation to include petrochemicals.
"Given that Europe imports more than 80% of the fossil fuels it burns, the scope of these rules must be extended to energy imports as well," added rapporteur Jutta Paulus (Greens/EFA). MEPs propose that from 2026 onwards, importers of coal, oil and gas must demonstrate that the imported fossil fuels meet the regulation's requirements.
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MEPs also strengthened the Commission’s proposal on a ban on venting and flaring of methane, as well as the frequency of leak detection on pipelines and valves and the prompt repair of such leaks.
For coal mines, the Parliament supports a ban on venting and flaring of methane from drainage stations by 2025 and from ventilation shafts by 2027. It also obliges EU countries to draw up plans to reduce abandoned coal mines and inactive fossil oil and gas wells.
