The Stage is Set for the Obama Administration’s Last Act on Climate

The Obama Administration set a goal to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40-45% from 2012 levels by 2025. While the EPA proposed standards for new and modified sources, it has failed to address existing sources, which a 2014 ICF International study predicts will represent 90% of the sector's total methane emissions in 2018. Analysis by CATF and the Rhodium Group indicates that voluntary industry programs are insufficient to bridge the 'methane emissions gap', as even 100% participation would leave a gap of 54 million metric tons of CO2e. The author asserts that nationwide standards on existing oil and gas equipment would reduce emissions by 77 million metric tons of CO2e, sufficient to meet the Administration's goal.

• The Obama Administration established national greenhouse gas reduction targets of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025.
• The President directed the EPA to target a 40-45% reduction in methane emissions from the oil and gas sector from 2012 levels by 2025.
• Existing sources of methane pollution in the oil and gas sector are largely unregulated by the EPA; a 2014 ICF International study estimated these sites would account for 90% of the sector's total methane emissions in 2018.
• Voluntary industry programs are insufficient to meet the 2025 methane goal; CATF analysis suggests that even with 100% industry participation, a gap of 54 million metric tons of CO2e would remain.
• Implementing enforceable nationwide standards on existing oil and gas equipment would reduce emissions by 77 million metric tons of CO2e, which is enough to achieve the Administration's methane reduction target.

APA

Banks, J. (2016). The Stage is Set for the Obama Administration’s Last Act on Climate. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2016/02/the-stage-is-set-for-the-obama-administrations-last-act-on-climate/

Chicago

Banks, Jonathan. The Stage is Set for the Obama Administration’s Last Act on Climate. Clean Air Task Force, 2016. https://www.catf.us/2016/02/the-stage-is-set-for-the-obama-administrations-last-act-on-climate/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Banks |first1=Jonathan |title=The Stage is Set for the Obama Administration’s Last Act on Climate |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=1 February 2016 |url=https://www.catf.us/2016/02/the-stage-is-set-for-the-obama-administrations-last-act-on-climate/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{banks2016stage, author = {Banks, Jonathan}, title = {{The Stage is Set for the Obama Administration’s Last Act on Climate}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://www.catf.us/2016/02/the-stage-is-set-for-the-obama-administrations-last-act-on-climate/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }