News
US and partners to move ahead with greenhouse gas reductions with methane program

United States government officials
and their counterparts in 16 countries committed to accelerated action
to recover and use methane as a clean energy source at the recent
annual Methane to Markets Partnership meeting.

    United States government officials and their counterparts in 16 countries committed to accelerated action to recover and use methane as a clean energy source at the recent annual Methane to Markets Partnership meeting. Key actions include a commitment from the partners to increase participating countries and the number of projects worldwide.

    “We’re making substantial progress in developing the programs and technologies necessary to promote energy security and reduce global methane emissions,” said Bill Wehrum, EPA acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation. “The international collaboration and action we’ve seen lays the groundwork for additional success.”

    Among the key outcomes of the second annual Methane to Markets Partnership meeting was the addition of a new Agriculture Subcommittee to address methane emissions, particularly through manure-management practices.

    By 2015 the Methane to Markets Partnership has the potential to deliver annual reductions in methane emissions of up to 50 million metric tons of carbon equivalent or recovery of 500 billion cubic feet of natural gas. If these projections are achieved, they could stabilize or reduce global atmospheric concentrations of methane. This would be equivalent to cutting the greenhouse gas emissions of 33 million cars, planting 55 million acres of trees, or eliminating emissions from 50 500-megawatt, coal-fired power plants; or providing enough energy to heat approximately 7.2 million households for one year.