The Global Methane Pledge: bold words on cutting methane emissions must be matched with bold actions

Background: The Global Methane Pledge has successfully brought many of the world’s nations together to recognize the climate harm of methane gas pollution and set targets for reducing emissions. Just a few months ago 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. The International Energy Agency also released a report saying we must curtail methane from fossil fuels globally by 70% by 2030. Earlier this morning the Biden Environmental Protection Agency released a draft of new rules to cut methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. 

Statement of Lauren Pagel, Earthworks Policy Director: 

“The pledge is important because the world’s nations are acknowledging methane pollution is a globally important issue. But our field inspections of oil and gas operations prove that pledges are just words on a page without concrete action to make them real.

“In the United States, President Biden can do this by strengthening the EPA oil and gas methane rule proposed today, and declaring a National Emergency on climate to help usher in the clean energy transition that is needed to meet the climate commitments we have made to the world.”