Opinion By Mathew Carr
Any push to dilute strict methane-limiting standards of natural gas imports into the EU is misguided.
This is a perfect example of where a little short-term pain in the form of higher prices can exact big changes on the US LNG production supply chain.
If America isn’t prepared to lift its game on methane leaks, Europe should reject its liquefied natural gas.
There are deep concerns over plenary amendments 268-280 that would fundamentally undermine the regulation’s scope and completely disregard the agreement found in the Committees. These amendment proposals include drastic changes such as (but are not limited to):
- A new loophole that could exempt companies from new rules from the start
- Reducing the frequency of inspections for leak detection and repair and creating an incentive to not find leaks
- Reducing the frequency of leak detection and repair inspections on dubious grounds
- Creating an incentive for companies to not find their leaks
- A new loophole to weaken new rules on reporting requirements for imports
The tabled plenary amendments 268-280 not only drastically change the compromises reached in the ENVI and ITRE Committees after months of negotiations, but also severely undermine the core functions of the entire regulation. While these amendments were tabled by a small group of MEPs in EPP and ID, they can’t be ignored as they would be extremely damaging to the level of ambition of the measures adopted and they would radically change the agreement found in the ITRE and ENVI Committees.
EU release:
Fit for 55: MEPs vote to boost methane emission reductions from the energy sector
Press Releases
26-04-2023 – 14:49
- First EU-wide legislation aimed at cutting methane emissions
- Binding 2030 methane reduction target should be proposed by 2025
- Imported energy should also be included
- Methane is responsible for about a third of current global warming
Parliament’s Environment and Industry Committees today adopted their position on reducing methane emissions in the energy sector to reach EU climate goals and improve air quality.
The new legislation, adopted with 114 votes in favour, 15 against and 3 abstentions, is the first aimed at cutting methane emissions and covers direct methane emissions from the oil, fossil gas and coal sectors, and from biomethane once it is injected into the gas network. MEPs also want the new rules to include the petrochemicals sector.
A 2030 methane emissions reduction target needed
MEPs urge the Commission to propose a binding 2030 reduction target for EU methane emissions for all relevant sectors by the end of 2025. Member states should set national reduction targets as part of their integrated national energy and climate plans.
Obligations to repair methane leaks strengthened
Operators would be obliged to submit a methane leak detection and repair programme to the relevant national authorities six months from the date of entry into force of this regulation, with MEPs demanding more frequent leak detection and repair surveys compared to what the Commission is proposing. They also want to strengthen the obligations to repair leaks as operators shall repair or replace all components found to be leaking methane immediately after detection or no later than five days.
Ban on venting and flaring of methane
The text envisages a ban on venting and flaring of methane from drainage stations by 2025 and from ventilation shafts by 2027, ensuring safety for workers in coalmines. It also obliges EU countries to establish mitigation plans for abandoned coalmines and inactive oil and fossil gas wells.
Imports of fossil energy must also be covered
As imports make up over 80% of the oil and gas consumed in the EU, MEPs propose that from 2026 importers of coal, oil and gas will have to demonstrate that the imported fossil energy also lives up to the requirements in the regulation. Imports from countries with similar requirements for methane emissions shall be exempted from EU rules.
Quote
After the vote the rapporteur, Jutta Paulus (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, DE) said: “Today’s vote is a commitment to more climate protection and energy sovereignty in Europe. Without ambitious measures to reduce methane emissions, Europe will miss its climate targets and valuable energy will continue to be wasted. We call for ambitious and stringent methane reduction measures. In the energy sector, three quarters of methane emissions can be avoided by simple measures and without large investments. As Europe imports more than 80% of the fossil fuels it burns, is essential to expand the scope of these rules to energy imports.”
Next steps
Parliament is scheduled to adopt its mandate during the 8-11 May 2023 Plenary session after which negotiations with Council on the final text of the legislation can start.
Background
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and air pollutant and is responsible for approximately a third of current global warming. It comes from a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, waste and energy, which are responsible respectively for 53%, 26% and 19% of methane emissions in the EU according to the European Environment Agency.
The energy sector accounts for around a fifth of human-made methane emissions. Methane emission reductions of 45% by 2030 could avoid 0.3°C of global warming by 2045 according to UNEP. Today, methane emissions are covered under the targets in the Effort Sharing Regulation.
CAN release in total
Fears of EU backtracking on cutting methane emissions
- 05/08/2023
Energy transition
MEDIA ADVISORY
Brussels, 8th May –
What is happening: On Tuesday, 9th May, Members of the European Parliament will vote in plenary on the Methane Regulation and set Parliament’s position for trilogue negotiations with the Council. This is a critical piece of legislation poised to both slow global warming and increase energy security by reducing methane emissions in the energy sector.
Why is it important:
Methane is the primary component of fossil gas and it has an extremely high global warming potential. There is no possible pathway to limit global warming to around 1.5°C without drastically cutting methane emissions now. Methane is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years, making methane mitigation one of the solutions to fight climate change while phasing out fossil gas by 2035.
Worrying Pushbacks: The European Parliament will vote on the joint draft report on the Methane Regulation, adopted by the ENVI and ITRE committees in late April. The report reached good and important compromises on some of the most effective measures to tackle methane emissions, including:
- An EU methane emission reduction target to be proposed by the Commission by the end of 2025;
- Mandatory Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) every 3 months;
- a 0.2% methane emissions intensity target limiting any leakages to no more than that ;
- and most importantly mitigation measures (leak detection and repair, limits on routine venting and flaring and measurement, reporting and verification) applying to gas imports from 2026 onwards.
More than 90% of the gas consumed in the EU is imported, so to be serious about reducing the EU’s methane emissions, extending the mitigation measures to imports and working towards setting critical standards for imported energy, is an undeniably critical step to reach EU’s climate goals while strengthening Europe’s energy security. It was supported in the committees by a wide margin of 114-15, with 3 abstentions, indicative of the strong cross-party support for the agreements reached.
However, there are deep concerns over plenary amendments 268-280 that would fundamentally undermine the regulation’s scope and completely disregard the agreement found in the Committees. These amendment proposals include drastic changes such as (but are not limited to):
- A new loophole that could exempt companies from new rules from the start
- Reducing the frequency of inspections for leak detection and repair and creating an incentive to not find leaks
- Reducing the frequency of leak detection and repair inspections on dubious grounds
- Creating an incentive for companies to not find their leaks
- A new loophole to weaken new rules on reporting requirements for imports
The tabled plenary amendments 268-280 not only drastically change the compromises reached in the ENVI and ITRE Committees after months of negotiations, but also severely undermine the core functions of the entire regulation. While these amendments were tabled by a small group of MEPs in EPP and ID, they can’t be ignored as they would be extremely damaging to the level of ambition of the measures adopted and they would radically change the agreement found in the ITRE and ENVI Committees.
-ENDS-
Contact
CAN Europe will be following the plenary this week. For any inquiries, please contact:
Seden Anlar, Communication Coordinator: seden.anlar@caneurope.org, communications@caneurope.org
Notes to the Editor: