After more than two years of concerted efforts, the United States announced its final standards on Saturday aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.
This move is a significant step towards fulfilling its commitments regarding this harmful gas.
The announcement was made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
Methane, which is the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide, has taken center stage at this year’s conference.
China, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates are convening a joint summit on methane and other greenhouse gases, in addition to carbon dioxide.
The United States had previously proposed standards in 2021 and 2022, and the US Environmental Protection Agency received “over a million” public comments.
It claimed to have consulted extensively with various stakeholders.
The final standards unveiled on Saturday are expected to reduce methane emissions by 58 million tons between 2024 and 2038, according to the agency.
This is equivalent to 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide, roughly matching the carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. energy sector in 2021.
Various US states have been given two years to submit their plans to the Environmental Protection Agency for reducing these emissions.
Overall, methane emissions from the anticipated sector for 2038 are projected to be reduced by 80% without any additional measures, thanks to these new standards, as estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
