C 323/106
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
26.8.2022
5.12.
The EESC believes that an EU framework for limiting or reducing methane emissions in the energy sector is a good idea.
Care should be taken to ensure that the monitoring requirements for the gas sector are feasible, for example when measuring, reporting and verifying emission data.
This should include setting appropriate inspection deadlines for facilities by distinguishing between their technical condition and age.
Existing industry initiatives to reduce emissions should be taken into account (Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP)), as well as the need to boost international cooperation under initiatives such as the Methane Pledge and Climate and Clean Air Coalition. 5.13.
A large part of fossil methane emissions data is currently under-reported.
The EESC welcomes the proposals on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV), in particular when applied to preventing leakages along gas pipelines.
Initiatives such as the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), as well as the use of satellite technologies to detect such leakages, should be streamlined and prioritised.
Practices of unjustified venting and flaring should be banned in the EU.
Exemptions to this rule should be limited to emergency and safety-related situations.
As for biomethane, several EU Member States have already implemented technical and regulatory monitoring and avoidance measures.
This might help with the assessment of methane emissions during fossil exploitation. 5.14.
The EESC is well aware that most methane leakage happens outside the EU and for this reason, implementing and enforcing an EU methane performance import standard for gas imports is necessary.
Such an import standard should set a benchmark for acceptable upstream emissions.
This standard should already be developed under this regulation.
Furthermore, the inclusion of upstream methane emissions in the CO2-Pricing system should be considered. 5.15.
The proposal on reducing methane emissions focuses on the energy sector.
The EESC reiterates the relevance of methane emissions from agriculture.
As stated in the Commission’s methane strategy, farmers should be supported in reducing methane emissions.
This could consist of including a mandate in the Common Agricultural Policy to offer measures to reward methane emissions reductions by farmers.
Brussels, 19 May 2022.
The President of the European Economic and Social Committee Christa SCHWENG