The federal government has announced tougher regulations for the oil and gas industry, aimed at significantly reducing harmful methane emissions.
The new rules were announced by Federal Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault on Monday at the COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai, UAE.
The proposed regulations are similar to those announced by the United States in recent days and would help Canada meet its 2030 goal of reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by at least 75% below 2012 levels. Our goal is to help you go beyond.
Methane is an odorless, colorless gas that is thought to be about 80 times more harmful to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.
“Reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways we can reduce the pollution that accelerates climate change,” Guilbeault said in a statement.
The new regulations include requirements for oil and gas companies to plug methane leaks and ban flaring. Periodic inspections of equipment are also required.
The regulation covers thousands of oil and gas facilities across the country. Public consultation begins on December 16th.
“Voluntary action alone will never be enough,” World Bank climate change adviser Stephen Hallegatte Sr. said in an interview.
“Regulation is really, really important. We have to ask all oil and gas companies to check for leaks. There’s great new technology to monitor leaks in real time and address them,” he said. .
“This is what we are working on.”
A large drop in global methane could delay the projected rise in global average temperatures by 2050 by up to 0.1 degrees Celsius, a report says. international energy agency (IEA) October.
The focus of COP28 is to reduce emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, which is considered essential to avoid climate catastrophe.
“Canada has established itself as a leader in combating methane, and we are pleased that Canada is committed to delivering results,” IEA President Fatih Birol said in a statement.
The regulation could increase costs for oil fields, but the industry acknowledges it needs to reduce methane emissions more quickly.
“Canada has a lot to be proud of in the oil and gas sector when it comes to reducing methane emissions. We are far ahead of many other oil-producing countries around the world,” said Lorna Delfrari. ” he said. Chief Sustainability Officer at Calgary-based Cenovus Energy.
Delfrari said the company has reduced methane emissions by 59% over the past three years and has set a goal of reducing methane emissions by 80% by 2028 compared to 2019 levels.
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“Methane is something we know how to deal with right away, and we’re doing it,” Delfrari said in an interview with CBC News in Dubai. “This is something we are working on.”
When oil is pumped out of the ground, varying amounts of methane also appear on the surface. Some companies capture these gases and transport them in pipelines to sell them as natural gas, while others release them into the atmosphere (venting) or combusting them (flaring) .
China refuses to sign the pledge
More than 150 countries are committed to reducing methane emissions and have signed the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce methane emissions by 30 percent worldwide by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. are doing.
One of the countries refusing to participate is China, the world’s largest emitter of methane, primarily from coal mining and agriculture.
But there are signs that China is changing its stance, with China adding methane to its 2035 climate action plan last month. Last weekend, a “Methane Summit” was held in Dubai between U.S. and Chinese officials.
One of the challenges in tackling methane emissions is properly understanding how much methane is being released into the atmosphere. Despite advances in monitoring technology, including the development of advanced sensors and satellites, experts say the accuracy of current data still has room for improvement.
As part of Monday’s announcement, the federal government also committed $30 million to the creation of a Methane Center of Excellence to improve reporting of methane emissions and focus on data and measurement. .
