MEPs in two committees of the European Parliament have adopted a proposal to cut emissions of methane from the energy generation sector.
The parliament’s Environment Committee and Industry Committee, in a joint sitting, both adopted their positions to reduce emissions of this sort to reach the EU’s climate goals and to improve air quality.
Legislation to bring about this emissions reduction was passed by members of the two committees by 114 votes to 15, with three abstentions.
The proposed law will aim to cut direct methane emissions from the oil, fossil gas, and coal sectors, and from biomethane, once it is injected into the gas network.
MEPs also want the new rules to cover the petrochemicals sector.
They have called on the European Commission to propose a binding 2030 reduction target for EU methane emissions for all sector by the end of 2025.
This would involve member states setting national reduction targets as part of their integrated national energy and climate plans.
The position adopted by the two committees would require operators in the energy sector to submit a methane leak detection and repair programme to the relevant national authorities six months from the date of entry into force of the new regulation.
The MEPs want also want more frequent leak detection and repair surveys compared to what the commission is proposing.
As well as that, they want to strengthen the obligation to repair leaks, and for operators to repair or replace all components found to be leaking methane immediately after detection, or nor later than five days.
As imports make up over 80% of the oil and gas consumed in the EU, MEPs propose that from 2026, importers of coal, oil, and gas will have to demonstrate that the imported fossil energy abides by the standards set out for EU energy producers.
A full plenary session of the parliament is scheduled to adopt this measure during its sitting of May 8-11.
After that, negotiations with the Council of the EU on the final text of the regulation will begin.