AFP – United States (US) President Joe Biden’s administration announced it would tighten curbs on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry, a critical step toward meeting its commitments to reduce the powerful greenhouse gas.
The Environmental Protection Agency made the announcement during the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, where the host country, the US and China were set to hold talks on methane and other non carbon dioxide gases.
Methane is responsible for about one-third of the warming from greenhouse gases occurring today.
“The finalisation of these methane standards addresses a glaring regulatory gap,” said Julie McNamara of the Union of Concerned Scientists. “For far too long, oil and gas companies have been allowed to spew methane and serious health-harming pollutants without any limits – all while shoving the towering costs of that pollution onto people and the environment.”
The new standards would phase in a requirement to eliminate routine flaring of natural gas produced by oil wells and require comprehensive monitoring of methane leaks from wells and compression stations.
It would also establish standards requiring reductions in emissions from equipment such as pumps, controllers, and storage tanks.
The US initially proposed rules in 2021 and 2022, with the latest action building upon those after receiving a million public comments.
