UK’s Methane Action Plan marks progress but needs regulatory teeth to deliver
London, UK — The UK Government today published its Methane Action Plan, following growing pressure to deliver on the UK’s Global Methane Pledge commitments.
The plan recognises methane’s role in international trade and includes forward-looking measures to explore emissions linked to imported fossil fuels — a welcome step towards global accountability. It also makes progress in the waste and agriculture sectors, including commitments to support increased methane capture from landfill gas sites, to improve monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems for agricultural emissions, and on selective breeding for livestock to reduce methane emissions. Additionally, as part of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, the UK intends to explore a specific methane reduction target for the agriculture sector.
However, Clean Air Task Force (CATF) warns that without a strong domestic regulation for the fuel supply sector, the UK risks missing a major opportunity to cut methane emissions at home and maintain its leadership abroad.
“Today’s Methane Action Plan is a step forward and shows the UK is beginning to take methane action more seriously — particularly in recognising its role in the agriculture and waste sectors. But methane emissions from the fuel supply sector remain underreported and underregulated, and the plan’s ambition falls short of what’s needed to meet the UK’s global commitments. Real progress means giving this plan regulatory teeth — turning pledges into enforceable action that cuts waste, strengthens UK competitiveness, and slows the rate of warming in our lifetimes,” said Rebecca Tremain, UK Director at Clean Air Task Force.
Methane is a super-pollutant more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years and is responsible for about half a degree of global warming today. Because it is short-lived, cutting methane is the fastest and most effective way to slow the rate of warming.
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About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organisation working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalysing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognised expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.
