In a bid to curb the Methane release from cow dung a Norwegian company is now testing Plasma technology at a dairy farm. The company has found a way to stop livestock slurry from releasing methane by zapping it with artificial lightning.

Norway: Zapping cow dung with artificial lightning to reduce Methane

On day 2 of the COP26 summit, Nearly 800 countries have joined a U.S.- and EU-led pledge to slash emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane 30% by 2030. The pact aims at tackling one of the main causes of climate change, a senior Biden administration official stated.

Nearly 80 countries join US-EU pledge to slash methane emissions | COP26 climate conference

Turkmenistan's methane emissions are becoming a significant concern for the rest of the planet.

Methane, which is colourless and odourless, is the most abundant component of natural gas and may leak in massive quantities from energy plants whose management does not care to stop it.

That does not appear to be the case in the huge, sparsely inhabited nation.

Turkmenistan accounted for 31 of the 50 most severe methane emissions at onshore oil and gas activities studied by monitoring firm Kayrros SAS during 2019.&nbsp;

While shorter-lived and less common than carbon dioxide, methane is far more effective at trapping heat, making its short-term global warming impact more than 80 times higher.

Human activities account for around 60% of global methane emissions, with agriculture, waste disposal, and fossil fuel production accounting for the majority.

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, human-caused methane is responsible for at least 25% of today's global warming.

Stopping such emissions, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme's latest Global Methane Assessment, is the best option for quickly slowing global warming.

Methane-hunting satellites have made a number of other worrying finds in the last year.

Among them: despite the pandemic, methane emissions from Russian oil and gas activities increased by 32% in 2020.

Satellites also detected significant emissions from a dump in Bangladesh, a natural gas field in Canada, and coal mines in the US Appalachian Basin.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Turkmenistan's methane emissions are becoming a significant concern for the rest of the planet. Methane, which is colourless and odourless, is the most abundant component of natural gas and may leak in massive quantities from energy plants whose management does not care to stop it.

Turkmenistan's methane emissions are becoming a significant concern for the rest of the planet. Methane, which is colourless and odourless, is the most abundant component of natural gas and may leak in massive quantities from energy plants whose management does not care to stop it. That does not appear to be the case in the huge, sparsely inhabited nation. Turkmenistan accounted for 31 of the 50 most severe methane emissions at onshore oil and gas activities studied by monitoring firm Kayrros SAS during 2019. While shorter-lived and less common than carbon dioxide, methane is far more effective at trapping heat, making its short-term global warming impact more than 80 times higher. Human activities account for around 60% of global methane emissions, with agriculture, waste disposal, and fossil fuel production accounting for the majority. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, human-caused methane is responsible for at least 25% of today's global warming. Stopping such emissions, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme's latest Global Methane Assessment, is the best option for quickly slowing global warming. Methane-hunting satellites have made a number of other worrying finds in the last year. Among them: despite the pandemic, methane emissions from Russian oil and gas activities increased by 32% in 2020. Satellites also detected significant emissions from a dump in Bangladesh, a natural gas field in Canada, and coal mines in the US Appalachian Basin. (With inputs from agencies)

Turkmenistan: One of the world’s worst emitters of planet-warming methane

Satellites spotted a large plume of methane leaking from one of Pakistan’s largest cities last month.

According to an estimate from geoanalytics firm Kayrros SAS, the cloud was seen over Lahore on August 6 and had an emissions rate of about 126 metric tons of methane an hour. &nbsp;A second, smaller plume was seen above the city on August 31, emitting about 39 tons of methane an hour.&nbsp;

It has become very difficult to determine the origin for the same. “These kinds of events around cities are very difficult to find the origin of,” said a spokesperson for Kayrros.

“Most of the time, it’s different sources that accumulate into methane clouds.”

This is not the first time such an incident has taken place in Lahore.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-takes-3d-photo-of-rock-structure-on-mars-414347">Also read |&nbsp;NASA's Ingenuity helicopter takes 3D photo of rock structure on Mars</a>

Lahore has a history of these kinds of leaks. Since the beginning of 2019, Kayrros has analysed dozens of methane clouds spotted around the city. Kayrros uses data collected by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P satellite.&nbsp;

A researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Space Research who also uses Sentinel 5-P’s data to hone in on global methane hot spots, Bram Maasakkers, has said that one potential source could be the Lakhodair landfill in the northeast part of the city.

Following Maasakkers’ work, geoanalytics firm GHGsat captured a large methane plume on July 1 from Lakhodair landfill.&nbsp;

The rate of release was about 4 tons per hour, which GHGSat captured using its own commercial satellites. The landfill operators did not reply to a request for comment.

Satellites spotted a large plume of methane leaking from one of Pakistan’s largest cities last month. According to an estimate from geoanalytics firm Kayrros SAS, the cloud was seen over Lahore on August 6 and had an emissions rate of about 126 metric tons of methane an hour.

Satellites spotted a large plume of methane leaking from one of Pakistan’s largest cities last month. According to an estimate from geoanalytics firm Kayrros SAS, the cloud was seen over Lahore on August 6 and had an emissions rate of about 126 metric tons of methane an hour. A second, smaller plume was seen above the city on August 31, emitting about 39 tons of methane an hour. It has become very difficult to determine the origin for the same. “These kinds of events around cities are very difficult to find the origin of,” said a spokesperson for Kayrros. “Most of the time, it’s different sources that accumulate into methane clouds.” This is not the first time such an incident has taken place in Lahore. Also read | NASA's Ingenuity helicopter takes 3D photo of rock structure on Mars Lahore has a history of these kinds of leaks. Since the beginning of 2019, Kayrros has analysed dozens of methane clouds spotted around the city. Kayrros uses data collected by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P satellite. A researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Space Research who also uses Sentinel 5-P’s data to hone in on global methane hot spots, Bram Maasakkers, has said that one potential source could be the Lakhodair landfill in the northeast part of the city. Following Maasakkers’ work, geoanalytics firm GHGsat captured a large methane plume on July 1 from Lakhodair landfill. The rate of release was about 4 tons per hour, which GHGSat captured using its own commercial satellites. The landfill operators did not reply to a request for comment.

Methane plumes floating above Lahore spotted through satellite

The United States and European Union on Friday made a joint&nbsp;pledge to cut global methane emissions by almost a third in the next decade. The climate experts have hailed this as one of the most significant steps yet towards fulfilling the Paris climate agreement.

This comes after the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, warned of a “high risk of failure” at the vital UN climate talks, Cop26, set for Glasgow this November.

As per the plan between US and the EU, a target has been set of cutting at least 30 per cent from global methane emissions, based on 2020 levels, by 2030.&nbsp;

If adopted around the world, this would reduce global heating by 0.2C by the 2040s, compared with likely temperature rises by then. The world is now about 1.2C hotter than in pre-industrial times.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-tourists-talk-to-tom-cruise-from-orbit-413892">Also read |&nbsp;SpaceX tourists talk to Tom Cruise from orbit</a>

Boris Johnson said the UK would be one of the first to join the US-EU methane pledge when it opens for more signatories at Cop26.&nbsp;

During a meeting of world leaders from major economies on Friday, he said, “Over the last 30 years the UK has cut emissions of methane by something like 60%. And there are good commercial uses for methane, you can use it to make fabrics, you can use it to make antifreeze. So the world could slash its output of this powerful greenhouse gas tomorrow if we wanted to.”

Also, the UN published a report which has revealed that the current pledges on emissions from national governments would result in an increase of 16 per cent in emissions in 2030 compared with 2010 levels, whereas scientists warn that emissions must fall by 45 per cent in that period to stay within 1.5C.&nbsp;

The OECD published another report showing that climate finance funding from private and public sources that flows from the rich world to developing countries was falling about $20 billion short of a longstanding target of $100 billion a year.

The United States and European Union on Friday made a joint pledge to cut global methane emissions by almost a third in the next decade. The climate experts have hailed this as one of the most significant steps yet towards fulfilling the Paris climate agreement.

The United States and European Union on Friday made a joint pledge to cut global methane emissions by almost a third in the next decade. The climate experts have hailed this as one of the most significant steps yet towards fulfilling the Paris climate agreement. This comes after the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, warned of a “high risk of failure” at the vital UN climate talks, Cop26, set for Glasgow this November. As per the plan between US and the EU, a target has been set of cutting at least 30 per cent from global methane emissions, based on 2020 levels, by 2030. If adopted around the world, this would reduce global heating by 0.2C by the 2040s, compared with likely temperature rises by then. The world is now about 1.2C hotter than in pre-industrial times. Also read | SpaceX tourists talk to Tom Cruise from orbit Boris Johnson said the UK would be one of the first to join the US-EU methane pledge when it opens for more signatories at Cop26. During a meeting of world leaders from major economies on Friday, he said, “Over the last 30 years the UK has cut emissions of methane by something like 60%. And there are good commercial uses for methane, you can use it to make fabrics, you can use it to make antifreeze. So the world could slash its output of this powerful greenhouse gas tomorrow if we wanted to.” Also, the UN published a report which has revealed that the current pledges on emissions from national governments would result in an increase of 16 per cent in emissions in 2030 compared with 2010 levels, whereas scientists warn that emissions must fall by 45 per cent in that period to stay within 1.5C. The OECD published another report showing that climate finance funding from private and public sources that flows from the rich world to developing countries was falling about $20 billion short of a longstanding target of $100 billion a year.

US and EU pledge 30 per cent cut in methane emissions

Scientists are urging the world to immediately cut methane emissions to prevent uncontrollable global warming. Animal farming is one of the biggest sources of methane emissions. Does this mean it's time to clear meat off our plates?

Gravitas: Methane: A bigger threat than CO2?

Methane in the Martian atmosphere and organic chemicals in its soil are the latest tantalising findings of NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover as it hunts for clues about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

NASA scientists said Curiosity found periodic bursts of methane, a gas that is strongly tied to life on Earth, in the atmosphere around its landing site in the red planet’s Gale Crater.

The rover also has found organic chemicals in the Martian soil, the scientists said at a webcast press conference at the American Geophyscial Union conference in San Francisco.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-releases-videos-of-its-mass-rover-394338/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California issued a press release saying the rover measured “a tenfold spike” in methane in the atmosphere around it, and detected other organic molecules in a sample collected by a robotic drill.

“There are many possible sources, biological or non-biological, such as interaction of water and rock,” Sushil Atreya of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a member of the Curiosity rover science team, said in the press release.

The latest findings combine more than two years of data collected by the rover since its sky-crane landing inside Gale Crater in August 2012.

Last week, scientists said they had determined that billions of years ago, a lake filled the 96-mile- (154-km) wide crater being explored by Curiosity. This finding was another hint that Mars, the planet most like Earth in the solar system, was once suitable for microbial life.&nbsp;

Shortly after landing, Curiosity found that Mars once had the chemical ingredients and the environmental conditions needed to support microbial life, fulfilling the primary goal of its mission.

The rover, which has traveled around 5 miles (8 km) since landing on Mars, has been exploring an area known as Mount Sharp where rocks have been found containing water-deposited sediments, to learn if the life-friendly environments actually existed long enough for life to evolve.

“We will keep working on the puzzles these findings present,” said John Grotzinger, Curiosity project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Curiosity participating scientist Roger Summons of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said: “The challenge now is to find other rocks on Mount Sharp that might have different and more extensive inventories of organic compounds.”

Methane in the Martian atmosphere and organic chemicals in its soil are the latest tantalising findings of NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover as it hunts for clues about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Methane in the Martian atmosphere and organic chemicals in its soil are the latest tantalising findings of NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover as it hunts for clues about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. NASA scientists said Curiosity found periodic bursts of methane, a gas that is strongly tied to life on Earth, in the atmosphere around its landing site in the red planet’s Gale Crater. The rover also has found organic chemicals in the Martian soil, the scientists said at a webcast press conference at the American Geophyscial Union conference in San Francisco. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California issued a press release saying the rover measured “a tenfold spike” in methane in the atmosphere around it, and detected other organic molecules in a sample collected by a robotic drill. “There are many possible sources, biological or non-biological, such as interaction of water and rock,” Sushil Atreya of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a member of the Curiosity rover science team, said in the press release. The latest findings combine more than two years of data collected by the rover since its sky-crane landing inside Gale Crater in August 2012. Last week, scientists said they had determined that billions of years ago, a lake filled the 96-mile- (154-km) wide crater being explored by Curiosity. This finding was another hint that Mars, the planet most like Earth in the solar system, was once suitable for microbial life. Shortly after landing, Curiosity found that Mars once had the chemical ingredients and the environmental conditions needed to support microbial life, fulfilling the primary goal of its mission. The rover, which has traveled around 5 miles (8 km) since landing on Mars, has been exploring an area known as Mount Sharp where rocks have been found containing water-deposited sediments, to learn if the life-friendly environments actually existed long enough for life to evolve. “We will keep working on the puzzles these findings present,” said John Grotzinger, Curiosity project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Curiosity participating scientist Roger Summons of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said: “The challenge now is to find other rocks on Mount Sharp that might have different and more extensive inventories of organic compounds.”

Mysterious methane detections on Mars baffle NASA scientists

Methane leaks from planned coal mines around the world could have a bigger climate impact than carbon emissions from U.S. coal plants, a research group said on Thursday, detailing what it said was an overlooked source of planet-warming emissions.

Despite efforts by governments to crack down on fossil fuels, nonprofit Global Energy Monitor said in a report there are more than 430 proposed coal mines in the world which are likely to emit large amounts of methane, the second biggest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.

The countries with the highest amount respectively of potential methane emissions from planned coal mines are China, Australia, Russia, India, South Africa, the United States and Canada, it said.

"Coal mine methane has dodged scrutiny for years even though there`s clear evidence it poses a significant climate impact," said Ryan Driskell Tate, a Global Energy Monitor research analyst and the report`s author.

"If new coal mines proceed as planned, without mitigation measures in place, then a major source of greenhouse gas will go unrestrained."

Planned mines, some of which are in the late development stage, could leak methane at a rate equal to 1.14 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the report said, more than the 952 million tonnes of carbon dioxide U.S. coal plants released in 2019.

Coal companies can capture methane and burn it in operations or sell it to industry, resulting in less of a climate impact than allowing it to leak.

The World Coal Association, in a response to a request for comment on the report, said its members are committed to playing a role in helping the countries achieve emissions reductions goals and that zero emissions coal is technically achievable.

Explosive leaks of methane at coal mines have been a safety risk since mining began. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2019 that emissions from abandoned and operating coal mines account for 9% of global methane releases.

Methane leaks from planned coal mines around the world could have a bigger climate impact than carbon emissions from U.S. coal plants, a research group said on Thursday, detailing what it said was an overlooked source of planet-warming emissions.

Methane leaks from planned coal mines around the world could have a bigger climate impact than carbon emissions from U.S. coal plants, a research group said on Thursday, detailing what it said was an overlooked source of planet-warming emissions. Despite efforts by governments to crack down on fossil fuels, nonprofit Global Energy Monitor said in a report there are more than 430 proposed coal mines in the world which are likely to emit large amounts of methane, the second biggest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. The countries with the highest amount respectively of potential methane emissions from planned coal mines are China, Australia, Russia, India, South Africa, the United States and Canada, it said. "Coal mine methane has dodged scrutiny for years even though there`s clear evidence it poses a significant climate impact," said Ryan Driskell Tate, a Global Energy Monitor research analyst and the report`s author. "If new coal mines proceed as planned, without mitigation measures in place, then a major source of greenhouse gas will go unrestrained." Planned mines, some of which are in the late development stage, could leak methane at a rate equal to 1.14 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the report said, more than the 952 million tonnes of carbon dioxide U.S. coal plants released in 2019. Coal companies can capture methane and burn it in operations or sell it to industry, resulting in less of a climate impact than allowing it to leak. The World Coal Association, in a response to a request for comment on the report, said its members are committed to playing a role in helping the countries achieve emissions reductions goals and that zero emissions coal is technically achievable. Explosive leaks of methane at coal mines have been a safety risk since mining began. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2019 that emissions from abandoned and operating coal mines account for 9% of global methane releases.

Methane from upcoming coal mines could impact climate more than US coal plants, report says

Methane, a planet-warming gas responsible for a major portion of Earth’s global warming has taken up a lot more space than expected over the last decade.

An international study from July 15 has ascertained that the emissions of this poisonous gas have risen by at least nine per cent in the last ten years. The study attributed this to human activity and exploitation of resources for energy and food.

More warming than any other gas!

Methane (CH4) warms the planet more than any other gas, and contributed to Earth’s warming by over 28 more times than Carbon Dioxide.

Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe and the United States as early as 1760, the gas concentration in the atmosphere has more than doubled.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/videos/swiss-company-develops-animal-feed-cuts-methane-emissions-livestock-169245" hreflang="en">Swiss company develops animal feed that cuts methane emissions from livestock</a>

Over the last 20 years, the gas has gained over 80 times potency.

Methane can also occur naturally in the environment, in terrain such as wetlands and lakes. However, over 60 per cent of methane emissions are now artificially occurring in the environment, implying it is manmade.

These can be divided into three categories: extracting and burning fossil fuels to generate power and electricity. Additionally, it is also caused by agriculture which involved livestock, along with management of waste.

2 degree celsius - the upper limit

According to the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the temperature limit countries must commit to shall be “well below” two degree Celsius, which is above the Industrial Era levels.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions will fall this year. However, atmospheric methane is increasing by 12 parts per billion every year.&nbsp;By 2100, the planet might witness warming of over 3-4 degree Celsius, as pointed out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

"Regular updates of the global methane budget are necessary ... because reducing methane emissions would have a rapid positive effect on climate," Marielle Saunois, a researcher at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environment, who also headed the study, said in a briefing.&nbsp;"To meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, not only do CO2 emissions need to be reduced but also methane emissions”, Saunois added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/urgent-international-cooperation-needed-to-address-global-warming-impacts-wmo-251656" hreflang="en">Urgent international cooperation needed to address global warming impacts: WMO</a>

50 research institutions around the world constitute the Global Carbon Project, which has collated data from 100 observation stations.&nbsp;Compared to the time period between 2000-2006, the world has produced 50 million additional tonnes of methane every year.

Out of these, over 60 per cent emanated from agriculture and waste. Additionally, 30 per cent were a result of digestive processes of cattle and sheep.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/opinions/wion-edit-global-warming-threat-continues-to-grow-250647" hreflang="en">WION Edit: Global warming threat continues to grow</a>

Also, 22 per cent release of methane is a product of burning oil and gas, while 11 per cent is a direct consequence of leaks from the world’s coal mines.

New studies suggest how methane leaks can be spotted using satellite data. Emissions may be higher than the ones accounted for in this study, which only traced data upto 2017.

But recent studies based on new techniques for spotting methane leaks using satellite data suggest that emissions from the oil and gas sector may be significantly higher than those shown in the study, which only included data through 2017.

Methane, a planet-warming gas responsible for a major portion of Earth’s global warming has taken up a lot more space than expected over the last decade. An international study from July 15 has ascertained that the emissions of this poisonous gas have risen by at least nine per cent in the last ten years.

Methane, a planet-warming gas responsible for a major portion of Earth’s global warming has taken up a lot more space than expected over the last decade. An international study from July 15 has ascertained that the emissions of this poisonous gas have risen by at least nine per cent in the last ten years. The study attributed this to human activity and exploitation of resources for energy and food. More warming than any other gas! Methane (CH4) warms the planet more than any other gas, and contributed to Earth’s warming by over 28 more times than Carbon Dioxide. Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe and the United States as early as 1760, the gas concentration in the atmosphere has more than doubled. Also read: Swiss company develops animal feed that cuts methane emissions from livestock Over the last 20 years, the gas has gained over 80 times potency. Methane can also occur naturally in the environment, in terrain such as wetlands and lakes. However, over 60 per cent of methane emissions are now artificially occurring in the environment, implying it is manmade. These can be divided into three categories: extracting and burning fossil fuels to generate power and electricity. Additionally, it is also caused by agriculture which involved livestock, along with management of waste. 2 degree celsius - the upper limit According to the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the temperature limit countries must commit to shall be “well below” two degree Celsius, which is above the Industrial Era levels. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions will fall this year. However, atmospheric methane is increasing by 12 parts per billion every year. By 2100, the planet might witness warming of over 3-4 degree Celsius, as pointed out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "Regular updates of the global methane budget are necessary ... because reducing methane emissions would have a rapid positive effect on climate," Marielle Saunois, a researcher at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environment, who also headed the study, said in a briefing. "To meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, not only do CO2 emissions need to be reduced but also methane emissions”, Saunois added. Also read: Urgent international cooperation needed to address global warming impacts: WMO 50 research institutions around the world constitute the Global Carbon Project, which has collated data from 100 observation stations. Compared to the time period between 2000-2006, the world has produced 50 million additional tonnes of methane every year. Out of these, over 60 per cent emanated from agriculture and waste. Additionally, 30 per cent were a result of digestive processes of cattle and sheep. Also read: WION Edit: Global warming threat continues to grow Also, 22 per cent release of methane is a product of burning oil and gas, while 11 per cent is a direct consequence of leaks from the world’s coal mines. New studies suggest how methane leaks can be spotted using satellite data. Emissions may be higher than the ones accounted for in this study, which only traced data upto 2017. But recent studies based on new techniques for spotting methane leaks using satellite data suggest that emissions from the oil and gas sector may be significantly higher than those shown in the study, which only included data through 2017.

Emissions of planet-warming methane have risen by 9% in the last decade

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday plans to roll back regulations that limit leaks of potent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-at-risk-of-falling-into-irreversible-greenhouse-state-scientists-warn-157546">greenhouse gas</a> methane from pipelines and wells, even as some industry players opposed the move.

It is the latest in President Donald Trump's long battle against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/climate-apartheid-between-rich-and-poor-looms-united-nation-expert-warns-230621">environmental protection </a>rules, coming weeks after his administration made fundamental changes to a widely popular wildlife protection law and re-authorized the use of "cyanide bombs" to kill animals that prey on livestock.

"EPA's proposal delivers on President Trump's executive order and removes unnecessary and duplicative regulatory burdens from the oil and gas industry," said the agency's head, Andrew Wheeler, a former fossil fuel lobbyist.

"The Trump Administration recognizes that methane is valuable, and the industry has an incentive to minimize leaks and maximize its use," he added.

The rules would likely go into effect next year after a non-binding public comment period.

The EPA said the proposed amendments would save the oil and natural gas industry $17-$19 million a year, for a total of $97-$123 million from 2019 through 2025.

But oil giants, including BP, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell, called for the current rules, introduced by Trump's predecessor, former president Barack Obama, to be maintained.

Shell has pledged to reduce its methane leaks to less than 0.2 percent by 2025, its US president, Gretchen Watkins, said in a statement shared with media on Thursday.

"Despite the administration's proposal to no longer regulate methane, Shell's US assets will continue to contribute to that global target," she said.

Watch- G7 Summit: World leaders to talk on Climate Change

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/g7-summit-world-leaders-to-talk-on-climate-change-245321/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Asked about this opposition from the very sector the regulation was supposed to be benefiting, EPA official Anne Idsal said: "They're not the only ones within that particular space. You've got small and midsize companies as well.

"We don't preclude anybody from going above and beyond," she said.

Like carbon dioxide, methane is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change.

But its potency in trapping heat is about 84–87 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year-period, falling to 28–36 times greater over 100 years, according to United Nations figures.

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday plans to roll back regulations that limit leaks of potent greenhouse gas methane from pipelines and wells, even as some industry players opposed the move.

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday plans to roll back regulations that limit leaks of potent greenhouse gas methane from pipelines and wells, even as some industry players opposed the move. It is the latest in President Donald Trump's long battle against environmental protection rules, coming weeks after his administration made fundamental changes to a widely popular wildlife protection law and re-authorized the use of "cyanide bombs" to kill animals that prey on livestock. "EPA's proposal delivers on President Trump's executive order and removes unnecessary and duplicative regulatory burdens from the oil and gas industry," said the agency's head, Andrew Wheeler, a former fossil fuel lobbyist. "The Trump Administration recognizes that methane is valuable, and the industry has an incentive to minimize leaks and maximize its use," he added. The rules would likely go into effect next year after a non-binding public comment period. The EPA said the proposed amendments would save the oil and natural gas industry $17-$19 million a year, for a total of $97-$123 million from 2019 through 2025. But oil giants, including BP, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell, called for the current rules, introduced by Trump's predecessor, former president Barack Obama, to be maintained. Shell has pledged to reduce its methane leaks to less than 0.2 percent by 2025, its US president, Gretchen Watkins, said in a statement shared with media on Thursday. "Despite the administration's proposal to no longer regulate methane, Shell's US assets will continue to contribute to that global target," she said. Watch- G7 Summit: World leaders to talk on Climate Change × Asked about this opposition from the very sector the regulation was supposed to be benefiting, EPA official Anne Idsal said: "They're not the only ones within that particular space. You've got small and midsize companies as well. "We don't preclude anybody from going above and beyond," she said. Like carbon dioxide, methane is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. But its potency in trapping heat is about 84–87 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year-period, falling to 28–36 times greater over 100 years, according to United Nations figures.

US rolls back regulations on industrial methane leaks

methane

Methane, News on Methane, stories on Methane, articles on Methane, Methane stories at Wion, Methane news, Methane latest news