A Straightforward Climate Fix Hits Another Setback
For the oil and gas industry, cutting emissions of one of the most potent greenhouse gases was supposed to be relatively straightforward.But last week Congress voted to roll back the “methane fee,” a penalty on excess methane emissions passed during the Biden administration. The decision removed what was supposed to be an incentive for polluters to reduce their environmental impact, though the fee had not yet gone into effect.And the move comes amid efforts across the Trump administration to roll back environmental regulations and boost fossil fuel production, which, in turn, could lead to the release of more methane.Methane is considered a “superpollutant” because it can trap around 80 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide can in the short term, and it’s responsible for about a third of the global temperature rise since the preindustrial era.A big chunk of global methane emissions caused by human activity comes from the energy sector, where methane is released during the production and transportation of fossil fuels.Over the last few years, cutting back on energy-sector methane has become a focal point for policymakers looking for the cheapest, fastest and easiest ways to reduce emissions globally. New satellites and cameras can quickly and accurately locate large emissions events, and fixing the problem is sometimes as simple as twisting a knob on a valve.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Cutting down emissions of planet-warming methane from oil and gas production was supposed to be relatively simple. It hasn’t worked that way.
For the oil and gas industry, cutting emissions of one of the most potent greenhouse gases was supposed to be relatively straightforward.
But last week Congress voted to roll back the “methane fee,” a penalty on excess methane emissions passed during the Biden administration. The decision removed what was supposed to be an incentive for polluters to reduce their environmental impact, though the fee had not yet gone into effect.
And the move comes amid efforts across the Trump administration to roll back environmental regulations and boost fossil fuel production, which, in turn, could lead to the release of more methane.
Methane is considered a “superpollutant” because it can trap around 80 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide can in the short term, and it’s responsible for about a third of the global temperature rise since the preindustrial era.
A big chunk of global methane emissions caused by human activity comes from the energy sector, where methane is released during the production and transportation of fossil fuels.
Over the last few years, cutting back on energy-sector methane has become a focal point for policymakers looking for the cheapest, fastest and easiest ways to reduce emissions globally. New satellites and cameras can quickly and accurately locate large emissions events, and fixing the problem is sometimes as simple as twisting a knob on a valve.