European Parliament Calls for Binding Targets to Reduce Methane Emissions

Strasbourg – Members of the European Parliament are calling on the European Commission to establish binding targets on methane emissions for all sectors to reach EU climate goals in line with the Paris Agreement, the EU Parliament said in a press release on Thursday.

“In a resolution on the EU strategy to reduce methane emissions, adopted on Thursday with 563 votes to 122 and 11 abstentions, MEPs call on the Commission to propose binding measures and methane reduction targets for all sectors. The objective is to significantly reduce methane emissions in the EU by 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement,” the press release said.

The parliament considers the reduction of methane emissions to be “one of the most cost-effective strategies to slow down climate change,” and calls for “mandatory monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) for all methane-emitting sectors.”

Methane’s ability to trap heat makes it the second biggest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. Methane, which accounts for 10% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions, usually makes its way into the atmosphere out of landfills, oil and gas drilling platforms, and farms.

The EU Strategy to reduce methane emissions, adopted by the EU Commission on October 14, 2020, aimed at reducing methane emissions in order to reach the EU 2030 climate targets and the 2050 climate neutrality goal.