US gas exporters face EU methane rules as trade talks reach deadline
Lobbyists for American natural gas companies are pressing European officials to loosen new methane pollution rules as trade negotiations with the Trump administration near an August 1 deadline.
Sharon Kelly reports for DeSmog.
In short:
- The EU’s 2024 methane regulations, set to fully apply by 2030, will require LNG exporters to disclose and limit emissions or risk losing market access.
- U.S. exporters say they cannot yet measure or meet Europe’s methane standards and are lobbying for exemptions during ongoing trade talks.
- Environmental groups warn the rules are critical for cutting climate-warming methane and accuse industry of seeking loopholes to maintain exports.
Key quote:
“It’s very clear that the industry and the State Department are putting a lot of pressure on the EU to just give us a pass on this methane rule and commit to our dirty LNG.”
— Lorne Stockman, research co-director for Oil Change International
Why this matters:
Methane traps more than 80 times as much heat as carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making leaks from gas wells and pipelines a powerful driver of short-term warming. Europe’s attempt to police methane in imported fuel could ripple far beyond its borders, forcing exporters like the U.S. to confront hidden emissions in their supply chains. The standoff also exposes tensions in energy policy: Europe’s push for cleaner imports collides with America’s desire to expand gas sales amid declining domestic demand and competition from renewables. How these rules are enforced will shape not only trade but also the global fight to rein in climate-warming pollution from the oil and gas sector.
Read more: Methane emissions are rising at a record-breaking pace
