EU and global partners reaffirm their commitment to tackling methane emissions from the natural gas value chain

The European Commission has today signed a joint statement alongside global partners, which reinforces continued efforts towards the reduction of methane emissions arising across the value chain of liquified natural gas (LNG), from production to consumption. The joint statement was signed by the European Commission, Japan, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Australia in Tokyo at the LNG Producer-Consumer conference, co-organised by Japan and the IEA’s Task Force on gas and clean fuels market monitoring and supply security (TFFS). Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson was represented by Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy at the European Commission.

This initiative builds on already strong cooperation between the EU and other global leaders on methane abatement across the natural gas value chain. The EU continues to be a global leader in tackling methane emissions, spearheading the Global Methane Pledge and the Joint Declaration from Energy Importers and Exporters on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Fuels alongside the US, while implementing the EU Methane Strategy at the EU level. Fulfilling its commitments at both EU and international levels, the EU continues to play a prominent role globally in methane emissions monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) and methane emissions abatement.

Today, the European Commission reaffirms its commitment to taking action on reducing methane emissions in the LNG supply chain on a number of fronts including through

• continued collaboration with global partners as well as the IEA, the International Methane Emissions Observatory and the Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain Emissions MMRV international working group
• the creation of a globally aligned methane emissions assessment framework for LNG projects
• continuing to support international public-private coordination on GHG reduction in LNG, especially on methane, and to work with LNG producers and consumers globally

Background

Reducing methane emissions, including in the energy sector is one of the priorities of the European Green Deal which aims to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. Furthermore, in the short to medium term, LNG imports from trusted global partners remain a key component of ensuring Europe’s energy security under the REPowerEU plan. In this policy context, reducing the methane emissions associated with the natural gas value chain is a priority of the EU’s energy and climate objectives.

Methane absorbs more energy relative to its lifetime compared to other greenhouse gases and therefore the level of ambition and commitment at the EU and international level renewed by today’s statement is essential.

Documents

• Joint statement on ‘Accelerating methane mitigation from the LNG value chain’ (18/07/2023)

Related links

• Methane emissions