As Easy as Methane Leaks?
A decarbonisation ambition
As early as 1996, the EU began addressing methane emissions through the creation and adoption of various regulations and strategies for reducing methane emissions within the framework of it’s Climate Change Policy. In the following years, the EU has shown some leadership in its efforts to create a less polluted and toxic free environment. Through the creation of various unions and governance mechanisms for the regulation of Climate Action the goal to reach climate neutrality in its regional economy could be realised by 2050. The long anticipated, October released EU Methane Strategy is a continuation of the regions’ decarbonisation ambitions as it lays out a new EU strategy to reduce methane emissions which encourages cross-sectoral actions, legislative review and Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of accurate data.
Methane (CH4)
As the second most important GHG gas after CO2, Methane (CH4) has dangerous and detrimental effects on health and global warming. The three main anthropogenic (human caused) methane emissions sources in the EU are: agriculture (45%), mostly resulting from the rumen and manures of animals, waste (32%) where methane is released by organic matter trapped in landfills and lastly, energy (23%) due to the use of natural gas, production sites, coal mining, combustion and more being released into the atmosphere.
(Sources of methane emissions, 2020. Source: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/sources-of-methane-emissions-2)
While the Strategy proposes combined horizontal and sector specific actions, it also acknowledged that ambiguity in measurement approaches and comprehensive data constrains action and mitigation. Moreover, energy stations are linked to abnormal concentrations of methane released into the air. The methane strategy through surveillance technologies, improved and clear MRV, integrity and validation quantifications aims to create well-targeted sector-specific policy actions.
Cross Sectoral Collaboration
The cross sectoral actions proposed in the Strategy within the EU include:
a. Clearer and more accurate MRV legislation and methodologies for improved data to create better mitigating measures.
b. The establishment of an independent, government led international methane emissions mechanism anchored in the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme).
c. Through its earth observation programme, Copernicus, the Commission can strengthen satellite-based detection and enhance remote sensing and the monitoring of methane emissions of ‘super-emitters’.
d. The review and revision of relevant climate and environmental legislation.
e. Proposing pilot projects to support small scale farming communities in the valorisation of methane waste through biogas production.
The EU makes up a small portion of global methane emissions, it is the largest global importer of fossil fuels and can therefore leverage its position to consider, support and encourage similar action from its suppliers. This challenge to its global partners will confront and jointly reduce methane emissions throughout the supply chain.
Detecting Super-emitters?
The tweaked methane strategy clarifies that the commission has chosen the approach to support voluntary initiatives. However, it would promote “compulsory MRV for all energy-related methane emissions building on the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) methodology”. The commission ‘posited’ a CTA (Call To Action) for companies in the energy sector to create more robust leak detection and repair (LDAR) programmes, to prepare for legislative action, intended to be tabled in 2021, which would make such programmes compulsory in future.
According to the EU’s 2030 Impact Assessment for non-CO2 emissions the most cost-effective methane emissions savings are from the energy sector with numerous near zero cost mitigation options available throughout the sector. Furthermore, the combination of established LDAR measures, currently available data and improved satellite technology, can aid in the cost-effective detection of super-emitters.
(Capturing Images of an Invisible Gas, 2019. Source: The New York Times)
The European External Action Service (EEAS) in collaboration with the Commission will encourage international energy suppliers and buyers to join the OGMP and efforts to reduce methane emissions globally. Additionally it will support its satellite detection capabilities by supporting an establishment which detects super-emitters.
Activist Insight
Following the first draft methane strategy, the Environmental Defense Fund, environmental activists and a handful of European oil companies (BP, Eni, Equinor, Repsol, Royal Dutch Shell,Total and Wintershall DEA) teamed up to give feedback in the form of recommendations which were somewhat addressed in the draft strategy.
The faction fears the Commission’s approach will delay plans to regulate imported emissions. It also suggested that designing binding policies immediately is feasible as there already exists sufficient data to do so.
EDF’s Global energy policy director Poppy Kalesi unsurprisingly reported to Reuters, “Setting clear product standard requirements on all gas sold in the EU’s internal market is essentially a global climate opportunity with significant potential to curb global methane emissions from oil and gas quickly,”
She continues, “What we learnt […] is that voluntary agreements, data and transparency in and of themselves do not deliver reductions as needed”.
A new LEAKS strategy
As the methane plan focuses on methane leakage to strengthen decarbonisation efforts in the gas and energy sector, the European Commission plans to propose legislation in 2021. The legislation would require gas firms to better monitor and report methane emissions, but the new draft strategy communication has still yet to outline methane standards for imported gas.
It is therefore of critical importance for the Commission to establish binding legislative frameworks now, in order to have clear mitigation strategies set out in order to deliver on ambitions to reach global methane emissions reductions and prohibit venting and flaring by 2025.
References:
An EU strategy to reduce methane emissions COM(2020)663 final
Factsheet: EU methane strategy
https://www.kayrros.com/quantifying-methane-emissions-the-time-is-now/
