Carrot and stick
AirMORE Methane dashboard: March 3, 2025
Is Biden’s methane rule dead? The US Senate has voted 52-47 to repeal the methane fee for oil and gas producers, removing a key financial incentive to curb emissions. This means American emitters will no longer be required to pay for their methane leaks, raising concerns about increased pollution. Meanwhile, the EU’s methane regulations apply not only to domestic industries but also to imported energy, putting pressure on US suppliers to comply with stricter standards. But will Europe step up where the US steps back??
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The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) and environmental groups are suing the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for removing climate change-related data from its websites. The lawsuit claims this deletion has harmed farmers who relied on tools like the Climate Risk Viewer and funding info for climate-smart farming.?
An interesting perspective on methane regulations comes from a coalition of LNG shipping stakeholders. The Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII) is calling on the EU to take stronger action on methane emissions in shipping—rewarding gas suppliers who actively reduce and monitor emissions, while ensuring high-leak operations face consequences.
Germany is likely to maintain its leadership in climate action. While climate goals such as reducing emissions by 65% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2045 remain, the new administration may present policies under the guise of prosperity and innovation rather than climate action.?
Wastewater treatment is one of the sources of methane emissions, especially from anaerobic digestion. A new vacuum degassing technology is tackling this issue by capturing dissolved methane before it escapes, reducing emissions while enabling its reuse as an energy source.
How do wars fuel climate change? New research estimates that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to 49 million tonnes of CO?-equivalent (MtCO?e) emissions over three years—16.9 MtCO?e in the past year alone. From burning infrastructure to industrial site damage and wildfires, the war has driven up emissions, adding yet another cost to the crisis: an escalating climate burden.
What we’re reading
This week, we're exploring the history and ongoing legal challenges of US methane regulations. The article outlines the evolution of methane rules, from the 2016 Obama-era Clean Air Act regulations, their rollback under Trump, reinstatement by Biden, and the latest legal hurdles threatening their enforcement. Read more in the Journal of Petroleum Technology.
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