EU reaches deal to reduce highly polluting methane gas emissions from energy sector

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

methane gas emissions from the energy sector across the 27-nation bloc.
According to experts, one of the biggest causes of climate change is methane gas emissions — second only to carbon dioxide. The gas also causes serious health problems.

Most emissions come from the energy, agriculture and waste sectors.
Under the provisional agreement announced just weeks before the Cop28 climate conference, the fossil gas, oil and coal industry will be forced to «properly measure, monitor, report and verify their methane emissions according to the highest monitoring standards, and take action to reduce them,» said the European Commission, the EU's executive arm.
The deal needs to be formally approved by both the European Parliament and the Council, which represents member states, before the new legislation enters into force.

This came as China and the United States pledged to accelerate their efforts to address climate change ahead of a major United Nations meeting on the issue, making a commitment to take steps to reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases besides carbon dioxide.
The US, the EU and other nations have previously committed to reduce overall methane emissions worldwide by 30% by 2030.
The Commission said the compromise requires operators to report about quantification and measurements of methane emissions at source level, and forces oil and gas companies to detect and repair methane leaks on EU soil.