EU launches roadmap with partners at COP29 to help reach the collective goal of reducing methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030
At COP29 in Baku, the European Commission has launched a new Methane Abatement Partnership Roadmap to further accelerate the reduction of methane emissions associated with fossil energy production and consumption, in collaboration with partner countries, the International Energy Agency and a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This new Roadmap provides a blueprint for cooperation between fossil fuel importing and exporting countries, which will support companies in improving their monitoring, reporting and verification systems to reduce methane emissions.
Launching the Partnership Roadmap at an event yesterday, Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, said: “Reducing methane emissions from the energy sector is a low-hanging fruit for climate action. It makes economic sense. It indeed helps boost our energy security while reducing emissions. The Roadmap we are launching today shows the way ahead in terms of fostering cooperation between importing and exporting countries. For the EU, it is clear: we will only be able to tackle methane emissions effectively if we work together across global supply chains with everyone involved.”
Under the Global Methane Pledge, launched by the EU and the US, more than 150 countries are now implementing a collective goal of reducing global anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030, from 2020 levels. This new Roadmap sets out a series of concrete actions to be undertaken, including a robust Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system building on the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0) principles, as well as a project plan to abate emissions from existing assets, providing a clear timeline, investment plan and human resource needs.
These partnerships to accelerate the mitigation of methane emissions were announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at COP28 in Dubai and build on the ‘Joint Declaration from Energy Importers and Exporters on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Fuels’ signed by the European Union, the United States, Japan, Canada, Norway and Singapore at COP27. Following the launch of the Roadmap, the first examples of partnership implementation will be showcased at COP30 in Brazil.
