Search Climate Insights Directory

The report highlights the human and climate costs of gas flaring in countries that export fossil energy to the EU, noting that nearly 10 million people live within 5km of active flares. It advocates for the EU to leverage its market power by adopting a methane import standard to curb these emissions and improve global health outcomes.

RMI highlights that the perceived climate benefit of substituting coal with natural gas is undermined by methane leakage. The briefing notes that leakage rates as low as 0.2% can make gas emissions equal to coal, depending on the specific resources involved. To address this, RMI has developed a calculator for site-specific emissions parity analysis. The document advocates for immediate methane mitigation through technology and policy, noting that wind and solar are already more economically attractive and avoid the methane risks associated with gas.

The report examines the climate and health impacts of routine gas flaring in 20 countries that export oil and gas to the European Union. It finds that nearly 10 million people live within 5km of active flares in these nations, with Iraq and Nigeria being the most affected. The authors argue that the EU can use its buying power to catalyze flaring reductions by adopting a methane import standard, which would align with the EU's Global Health Strategy and the Global Methane Pledge.

The report details how the energy sector contributes significantly to global anthropogenic methane emissions, specifically through oil and gas extraction (23%) and coal mining (12%). It highlights the severe health risks associated with methane and its co-pollutants, such as tropospheric ozone, NOx, and PM2.5, which contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The document advocates for a full phase-out of fossil fuels while recommending immediate technical solutions—such as leak detection, vapor recovery units, and the banning of fracking—to reduce near-term warming and protect public health, particularly in vulnerable communities in Iraq, Nigeria, South Africa, and Canada.

The document argues that because a significant portion of the EU's methane footprint originates from imported energy, the European Commission should leverage new energy contracts to mandate methane mitigation. It suggests that EU-based companies in joint ventures abroad should be encouraged to adopt best practices for reducing emissions from production operations outside EU borders.

The briefing contends that current oil price benchmarks, such as WTI and Brent, fail to account for the varying greenhouse gas emissions intensities of the oils they comprise. It highlights that oils with similar quality and price can have climate footprints that differ by a factor of two to five, creating perverse incentives. By integrating data from the Oil Climate Index plus Gas (OCI+), the author suggests that the market could better incentivize emissions reductions and allow buyers to accurately account for supply chain emissions.

The document details the creation of Nigeria's Energy Transition Plan (ETP), which aims for net-zero emissions by 2060. Developed through a partnership between SEforALL and the Nigerian government, the plan identifies a total investment need of USD 1.9 trillion and an initial project pipeline of USD 23 billion. The ETP focuses on five sectors—power, cooking, oil and gas, transport, and industry—which account for 65% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. Implementation is supported by the Energy Transition Office, which has helped secure over USD 3.6 billion in finance commitments as of 2022.

Natural gas is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, with methane leakage potentially making its climate impact equivalent to coal. To align with the 1.5°C goal, global gas production and consumption must decrease by 30% by 2030 and 65% by 2050, with developed countries phasing out gas power by 2035. The document rejects the use of gas as a bridge fuel or a solution to the 2022 energy crisis, noting that expanding infrastructure creates stranded asset risks, particularly for non-OECD countries. It further argues that converting gas infrastructure to hydrogen is technically unproven and economically inefficient, and highlights severe public health risks associated with gas extraction, flaring, and domestic use.

A coalition of environmental justice organizations argues that the EPA's proposed regulations for the oil and gas sector must be strengthened to protect Black, Latine, tribal, and low-income communities. The commenters detail how these groups suffer disproportionate health risks from air and water pollution, economic burdens from orphaned wells and property devaluation, and heightened climate vulnerability. They recommend specific policy enhancements, including stricter leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements, the elimination of routine flaring, and more robust community monitoring and well-closure mandates.

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that 30 fossil fuel companies are responsible for 43% of the industry's global methane emissions. The analysis identifies the National Iranian Oil Company as the largest emitter and highlights the dominance of Chinese state-owned enterprises in coal mine methane emissions. The report emphasizes that emissions vary based on infrastructure age, operator type, and geographic location, noting that some oil and gas emissions could be reduced at no net cost.

The September 2022 Nord Stream pipeline ruptures may represent the largest single methane emitting event ever recorded, with potential losses exceeding 500 kilotonnes of methane. While the exact amount entering the atmosphere is difficult to calculate due to cloud cover, ocean dissolution, and the speed of the event, the climate impact is significant. However, the briefing notes that the oil and gas industry's annual fugitive emissions, flaring, and venting total 82 million tonnes, meaning the industry emits an equivalent amount to the Nord Stream leaks every day. The author argues that up to 85% of these emissions could be cut using existing technology and targeted policy.

The document opposes the push for new gas infrastructure in Africa, which it describes as a short-term solution for European energy security that risks irreversible climate disaster. It highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on Africa, the environmental damage caused by gas extraction in Nigeria and Mozambique, and the inadequacy of 'net zero' pledges. The authors call for an immediate end to fossil fuel financing and the implementation of a 100% renewable energy goal for Africa by 2050, funded by climate debt repayments from the Global North.

The analysis finds that 236 counties in 21 US states face cancer risks exceeding the EPA's one-in-a-million threshold due to oil and gas pollution, affecting nearly 14 million people. The report identifies benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde as the primary drivers of this risk, accounting for 96% of the estimated cancer risk. It highlights that the population living in high-risk counties increased from 9 million in 2016 to 14 million in 2022, primarily due to industry growth. The report argues that implementing proven methane-reduction technologies, such as leak detection and repair and the replacement of gas-driven pneumatic equipment, would also significantly reduce toxic hazardous air pollution.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases remains intact following the West Virginia v. EPA decision, specifically regarding at-the-source technological controls for methane. The author advocates for a 65% reduction in methane emissions from the US oil and gas sector through measures such as frequent leak detection and repair (LDAR) inspections and a ban on routine flaring of associated gas.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that Europe can address its energy security needs and reduce climate impact by targeting wasted methane in Algeria. It highlights that Algeria's wasted gas volume exceeds the amount Italy seeks in new deals and that capturing this gas is more climate-friendly and potentially more lucrative than new drilling.

The report contends that natural gas expansion in Africa contradicts the Paris Agreement and poses significant economic and environmental risks. It argues that renewable energy is more cost-effective and creates more sustainable employment than the fossil fuel industry. Through case studies of Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal, the document demonstrates that shifting from gas-based power to high-renewable scenarios would increase job creation and, in the case of Egypt, significantly reduce premature deaths from air pollution. It concludes that developed nations must stop financing fossil fuels and increase climate finance to support Africa's transition to zero-emissions energy systems.

Nigeria faces severe developmental challenges including endemic corruption, insecurity, and an overdependence on oil exports. Projections indicate that without intervention, Nigeria will have the highest number of poor people globally by 2050. The report proposes a 'Super Nigeria' scenario combining improvements in governance, human capital, infrastructure, agriculture, and economic diversification to potentially make Nigeria the fifth largest economy globally by 2050.

The report provides evidence of methane emissions at 180 out of over 250 oil and gas sites visited across 11 European countries. It highlights a current lack of EU-wide policy and common standards for addressing venting, flaring, and fugitive emissions. The author suggests that as the world's largest fossil fuel importer, the EU could drive global methane mitigation by setting stringent standards for imports.

The document examines the intersection of food sovereignty, agroecology, and gender justice, arguing that the industrial agribusiness model relies on the patriarchal exploitation of women's labor. It advocates for a transition to agroecology and feminist economies to ensure equitable access to land, seeds, and resources, while recognizing and redistributing unpaid care work.

Ember argues that the EU should lead by example in reducing coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, proposing a differentiated approach to state aid based on the type of methane project. The organization opposes state aid for 'Drained CMM' from active mines to avoid extending mine lifetimes, but supports aid for Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) destruction and Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM) capture, provided strict safeguards are in place to ensure these measures do not increase coal production or profitability.