Commission open to views on methane strategy

The European Green Deal identified excessive methane emissions as an important and urgent issue requiring action. The Commission’s objective is to reduce methane emissions in the EU, as well as promoting and supporting similar action internationally, with the aim of curbing temperature pathways to 2050, improving air quality, and reinforcing the EU’s global leadership in the fight against climate change.

The combined methane emissions from energy, agriculture, and waste constitute almost the entirety of anthropogenic methane emissions. To address this, the Commission is working on an integrated strategy covering the areas of energy, agriculture and waste, to tackle emissions of methane and exploiting synergies between sectors. The strategy will include efforts to improve the quality of data reporting across the sectors as well as voluntary initiatives to address emissions where they are known and understood. Secondly, in the medium-term, legislative action will follow these voluntary initiatives, ensuring compliance where necessary. Legislative action at this later stage should be informed by a greatly improved understanding of emissions, therefore being well targeted and more effective.

In order to deliver a strategic plan for reducing methane emissions, the Commission is seeking the views and contributions of the public on this important issue. It has therefore opened a 4-week period for public feedback on the Roadmap for the strategy.

Related links

• EU methane strategy