Designing an EU methane import standard

The briefing proposes that the European Union leverage its position as a major oil and gas importer to drive global methane reductions by implementing a methane import standard. It suggests a combination of a 'prescriptive standard,' which mandates specific technologies and practices like Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR), and an 'intensity standard,' which sets a maximum limit on emissions per unit of gas produced. The document asserts that there are no 'insuperable legal obstacles' to these standards and suggests that fees from non-compliance could fund methane mitigation in lower-income countries. It highlights that such a move would align with the European Parliament's position and complement voluntary initiatives like CLEAN.

• The European Union is uniquely positioned to reduce global methane emissions from the oil and gas sector—which represents 23% of total anthropogenic methane emissions—because it imports 97% of its oil and 90% of its gas.
• A comprehensive import framework should combine two types of standards: a 'prescriptive standard' regulating practices and technologies (such as monitoring, reporting, and verification, Leak Detection and Repair, and limits on venting and flaring) and an 'intensity standard' that caps the maximum level of acceptable emissions per amount of gas produced.
• Legal analysis indicates that there are no insurmountable legal barriers to establishing these standards, including compliance with WTO rules, the UNFCCC, and the Paris Agreement, although WTO rules require that a similar intensity standard be applied to production within the EU.
• Compliance with the standards would be the responsibility of the importer and enforced through fees or penalties for non-compliance; these funds could be directed toward an EU methane fund to support mitigation in lower-income countries.

APA

Locke, B., & Sosa, Z. T. (2023). Designing an EU methane import standard. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2023/09/designing-eu-methane-import-standard/

Chicago

Locke, Brandon, and Zitely Tzompa Sosa. Designing an EU methane import standard. Clean Air Task Force, 2023. https://www.catf.us/2023/09/designing-eu-methane-import-standard/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Locke |first1=Brandon |last2=Sosa |first2=Zitely Tzompa |title=Designing an EU methane import standard |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=5 September 2023 |url=https://www.catf.us/2023/09/designing-eu-methane-import-standard/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{locke2023designing, author = {Locke, Brandon and Sosa, Zitely Tzompa}, title = {{Designing an EU methane import standard}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://www.catf.us/2023/09/designing-eu-methane-import-standard/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }