Response to 2040 EU climate target proposal, methane must be addressed

The document argues that the EU's 2040 climate target must include a specific methane reduction target of at least 44% to prevent crossing irreversible tipping points and limit warming to 1.5 ºC. The authors express concern over the removal of a proposed 30% reduction target for non-CO2 emissions in agriculture and call for mandatory mitigation measures across the agriculture, waste, and energy sectors, including the regulation of imported fossil fuels.

• The coalition proposes that the EU's 2040 pathway include a methane reduction target of at least 44%, based on IPCC findings, and intermediate domestic targets of at least 30% by 2030 to align with the Global Methane Pledge.
• Agriculture is identified as the largest source of EU methane emissions, accounting for 53%. The authors argue that technical measures must be paired with a shift toward healthier diets and food waste reduction, noting that soil carbon removal alone cannot offset ruminant emissions.
• The waste sector contributes 26% of the EU's methane emissions. The document calls for targets for separate biowaste collection to avoid landfill disposal and food waste reduction targets aligned with SDG 12.3.
• Regarding the energy sector, the authors state that the EU Methane Regulation lacks specific mitigation measures for imported fossil fuels, which represent the largest share of emissions from EU fossil fuel consumption.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2024). Response to 2040 EU climate target proposal, methane must be addressed. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Response-to-the-EU-2040-Target_Final-Letter.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Response to 2040 EU climate target proposal, methane must be addressed. 2024. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Response-to-the-EU-2040-Target_Final-Letter.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Response to 2040 EU climate target proposal, methane must be addressed |date=6 February 2024 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Response-to-the-EU-2040-Target_Final-Letter.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{changingmarketsfoundation2024response, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Response to 2040 EU climate target proposal, methane must be addressed}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2024}, month = feb, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Response-to-the-EU-2040-Target_Final-Letter.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }