On 18 September 2021, with a joint press release, the EU and the US announced the WORLD COMMITMENT TO METHANE.
The reduction of global methane emissions is an important step for the climate and the environment. Methane is in fact a powerful greenhouse gas and, according to the latest ‘AR6’ report from the IPCC, is responsible for about half of the net increase of 1 (one) degree Celsius in the world average temperature since pre-industrial times.
The press release expressly states that “The main sources of methane emissions include oil, gas, coal, agriculture and landfills and that “The abatement of methane brings further positive effects, including the improvement of public health and agricultural productivity”.
At the US-led Energy and Climate Forum of the World’s Largest Economies (MEF), President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen urged participating countries to join the global commitment on methane and welcomed the support already shown by some of them (in addition to the US and the EU, the other countries that have expressed their support for the global commitment to methane are: Argentina, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, ITALY, Mexico and UK).
The United States, the European Union and other supporters will continue to invite other countries to join this initiative pending its formal launch at the November 26th COP in Glasgow.
