Background: The Global Methane Pledge has successfully brought two of the world’s largest economies (the United States and the European Union) together to recognize the climate harm of methane gas pollution and set targets for reducing emissions. Just last month the IPCC released its 6th assessment report which highlighted that methane pollution is a low hanging fruit and acting to reduce methane pollution will result in the most immediate positive climate response, buying us time to address carbon dioxide emission.
Within the next few weeks the Biden Environmental Protection Agency will propose new rules to cut methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. Unlike oil and gas leasing on public lands which has been complicated by a court decision, these EPA rules are entirely within Biden’s control.
Statement of Lauren Pagel, Earthworks Policy Director:
“The Global Methane pledge marks the first international government commitment specific to reducing methane climate pollution, but words are not enough.
“President Biden has an immediate opportunity to show he means what he says by directing the EPA to issue the strongest rules possible under the Clean Air Act to cut methane pollution from oil and gas production. Climate leadership means requiring the oil and gas industry to cut methane 65% by 2025 and beginning a managed decline of fossil fuels.”
***
