Reducing methane emissions: Opportunities and barriers in waste and agriculture through biogas production

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and an ozone precursor, harmful to human health and the environment. Human activity is responsible for around 60% of methane released into the atmosphere, including as a by-product of certain farming and waste treatment practices but also through fossil fuel extraction, transportation and consumption.

CO2 takes around 100 years to break down in the atmosphere, whereas methane can break down already after roughly 12 years – reducing methane emissions can therefore have a significant impact in the short term on global temperature pathways. Reducing methane emissions has therefore been singled out in the European Green Deal as an important step to reach climate neutrality by 2050, and a dedicated strategy for it is due to be adopted in September 2020.

Methane emissions from waste and agriculture have been significantly reduced in recent years, with the drivers of these reductions varying per sector. Despite improvements, significant potential exists for further reductions across both sectors, for instance through further exploiting opportunities from biogas production as a way of turning high methane content organic waste and residue streams into high value energy.

To further explore what opportunities and barriers waste and agriculture face for reducing their methane emissions through biogas production, the European Commission will host an online stakeholder workshop to gather input. The Commission welcomes interested parties to participate in the event.

The event will take place on July 17, 2020 from 9:00 to 12:00 via Webex (details to follow). Registration is open until 13 July 2020 the latest.

For any questions, contact: ENER-METHANEec [dot] europa [dot] eu (ENER-METHANE[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)

Agenda