Europe Must Lead on Methane, Both Domestically and Internationally

The European Union is urged to move beyond a "measure first, act later" approach to methane emissions, instead implementing mandatory Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) and equipment upgrades domestically while using its purchasing power to pressure gas suppliers like Russia and Norway to reduce emissions.

• Methane has more than 80 times the heat-trapping power of CO2, and its rising levels threaten the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, even if aggressive CO2 reductions are made.
• Reducing methane from the oil and gas industry is cost-effective; the International Energy Agency reports that 50% of global oil and gas methane emissions can be cut at no cost, and 75% can be cut using existing technologies at a cost lower than most other climate options.
• The author criticizes the European Commission's proposed "measure first, act later" approach to the May methane strategy, arguing that the EU should immediately implement Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs and replace outdated equipment rather than delaying action for more data.
• The EU can leverage its position as the world's largest importer of oil and gas to incentivize methane reductions from major suppliers, specifically naming Russia, Norway, Algeria, and Qatar.
• Implementing ambitious methane standards by 2030 could reduce several million tons of annual emissions, which would reduce near-term warming more than closing all coal-fired power plants in Spain and Germany combined.

APA

Banks, J. (2020). Europe Must Lead on Methane, Both Domestically and Internationally. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2020/04/europe-must-lead-on-methane-both-domestically-and-internationally/

Chicago

Banks, Jonathan. Europe Must Lead on Methane, Both Domestically and Internationally. Clean Air Task Force, 2020. https://www.catf.us/2020/04/europe-must-lead-on-methane-both-domestically-and-internationally/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Banks |first1=Jonathan |title=Europe Must Lead on Methane, Both Domestically and Internationally |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=3 April 2020 |url=https://www.catf.us/2020/04/europe-must-lead-on-methane-both-domestically-and-internationally/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{banks2020europe, author = {Banks, Jonathan}, title = {{Europe Must Lead on Methane, Both Domestically and Internationally}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.catf.us/2020/04/europe-must-lead-on-methane-both-domestically-and-internationally/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }