EIA calls on European Commission to take action on overlooked methane emissions in new mandate

Methane, the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG), is responsible for a third of the global warming that has taken place so far.

Over a 20 year period, it is 80+ times more effective at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO₂). Beyond its climate impact, methane emissions also result in air pollution by forming ground level ozone, which is responsible for one million premature deaths around the world every year, as well as significant damage to agricultural crops.

To deliver the goal of the Paris Agreement – which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C – the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that methane emissions must be reduced by 34 per cent by 2030. This will also have important benefits for natural ecosystems, agricultural yields and human health.

As the EU enters a new political mandate, the 2030 climate targets are rapidly approaching and the larger goal of climate neutrality is no longer a job for future policymakers. The European Parliament elections in June 2024 saw a shift to the political right, raising concerns over the direction of climate policies.

In July, the European Parliament elected Ursula von der Leyen to serve a second term as President of the European Commission and she recently announced the list of nominated Commissioners. The nominees will only be confirmed following hearings with the European Parliament in early November, which represent a significant opportunity to shine a light on methane emissions and push the Commission to take decisive action.

Methane flaring

Current state of regulations

To date, climate policy has tended to focus on CO₂ emissions, with non-CO₂ greenhouse gases such as methane being overlooked.

However, this imbalance has started to shift. In 2021, during the CoP26 climate summit in Glasgow, the EU co-created the Global Methane Pledge alongside the US, setting a collective goal of reducing global methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

Methane flaring

The EU has taken steps to implement the Pledge in recent years, with the EU Methane Action Plan and the EU Methane Regulation in the Energy Sector.

But, overall, methane emissions remain drastically overlooked in existing legislation. Firstly, the Methane Action Plan relies on existing policies that make little difference to actual methane emissions and, secondly, there is no binding target for methane emissions reduction.

Additionally, the Methane Regulation focuses on domestic fossil fuel industries, leaving emissions from fossil fuel imports — representing 90 per cent of EU consumption — largely unaddressed until 2030.. Significant strengthening of the Regulation is needed.

The current regulatory framework lacks urgency and effectiveness, particularly in the agriculture sector, the largest source of methane emissions. Current policies in this sector, which are expected to only deliver a 1.5% reduction by 2040, are inadequate to meet the necessary climate goals.

If further action on methane is not taken by the incoming Commission, the EU is likely to miss its climate targets. The EU-wide 2030 target of reducing GHG emissions by 55 per cent is unlikely to be achieved without clear EU-level targets and support measures to reduce methane emissions.

As co-creator of the GMP, the EU has a duty to walk the walk by enshrining the goal of the Pledge in EU legislation and support signatory countries to do the same.

Without this commitment, the EU is at risk of moving from leader to laggard on climate action and the Pledge will not succeed.

Upcoming opportunities

EIA, as part of the Methane Matters Coalition, has published a position paper, outlining the current state of methane action in the EU and calling on the Commission to take action by addressing shortcomings in its approach to reducing methane emissions.

As we enter a new mandate, the EU has a unique opportunity to deliver deep methane emissions reductions, beginning with the update of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, due in early 2025. The NDCs outline how parties/countries will work to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

The Commission is responsible for submitting an EU-wide NDC on behalf of all Member States and EIA calls on the Commission and all parties to update their NDCs to include a methane reduction target covering the energy, agriculture and waste sectors.

Similarly, the Commission will work on the EU 2040 Climate Target to shape the path beyond 2030, seeking to ensure the EU reaches climate neutrality by 2050.

The outgoing Commission recommended reducing the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent by 2040 relative to 1990. It is clear that this target would require comprehensive methane emissions reductions across all sectors — and a binding methane target would provide a clear objective and a reference point to track progress.

Ground-level ozone resulted in 108,000 potentially attributable deaths in the EU in 2021. Reducing methane emissions is key to limiting levels of ground-level ozone, thereby improving local air quality and the associated impacts on human health.

The National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive and the Gothenburg Protocol regulate emissions of air pollutants in the EU. Both pieces of legislation are currently being revised, offering opportunities to indirectly reduce methane emissions by setting targets to reduce ground-level ozone concentrations in all Member States.

Conclusion

Aligning bottom-up targets for air pollution at member state level, with top-down EU-level methane reduction targets would constitute a comprehensive strategy to address the climate risk posed by continued methane emissions and deliver the EU’s ambitious climate targets.

In recent weeks, EIA has been meeting with many MEPs and officials from different political groups to shine a light on methane ahead of the Commissioner hearings.

With CoP29 due to take place next month, and with host Azerbaijan becoming the latest signatory to the GMP, momentum for action on methane is building.

EIA, alongside partners from the Methane Matters Coalition, is organising a hybrid event in Brussels on 17 October to discuss the current state of European legislation on methane – register for free to join us either online or in person.