According to scientific evidence, aggressively reducing methane emissions can play a significant role in slowing the pace of climate change, buying more time to transform the electricity and transport sectors to renewable energy.
Charlie Cray, Researcher at Greenpeace added:
“Methane is the fastest growing source of climate pollution in the U.S. In the first twenty years after it’s released, methane is more than 85 times more powerful than CO2 in fueling climate chaos. EPA’s methane regulations are a welcome first step, but contain too many loopholes to be a comprehensive check on industry recklessness. EPA must also finalize regulations on existing wells, rigs, and methane hot spots, or we won’t bring methane emissions down to the levels scientists say are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”
“Natural gas is not a ‘bridge fuel’ to a clean energy economy, but a greenhouse gangplank. What we need to make a real contribution to reducing climate change is a complete halt on any new gas-related investments, as well as a stop to oil and gas leases on public lands. The Obama administration will drastically undermine the progress it hopes to make with today’s methane rule if it allows fossil fuel projects like those up for auction today in Colorado to go forward.”
ENDS
Media contact:
Rodrigo Estrada [email protected] 202-478-6632
