EU Methane Strategy

Policy Engagement Overview

The aggregated evidence of corporate and industry lobbying on the Methane Strategy shows predominantly negative engagement from the oil and gas industry, and agricultural industry.

Long-term Lobbying Trends

• The majority of the agricultural industry did not appear to support the EU Methane Strategy. Negative positions included questioning the science of calculating methane emissions, and advocating measures be introduced for the energy industry instead of agriculture. Entities also opposed measures on the agricultural industry, stressing it would have negative impacts on food security. This has included negative advocacy from industry associations such as the European Dairy Association (EDA), Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Copa-Cogeca, and Deutscher Bauernverband e.V (DBV German Farmers Union).

• There was limited positive support from the agricultural industry, with some positive positions supporting measures to develop and use biogases, including from Confederazione Generale dell'Agricoltura Italiana (CONFAGRICOLTURA).

• A significant proportion of the oil and gas industry attempted to weaken policy developments by advocating for flexibilities for industry, compensation for methane reduction technologies, and that measures should not impact the security of energy supply. This has included advocacy from companies such as BP, Gazprom, Repsol, and industry associations Gas Infrastructure Europe, and International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP).

• Some stated high-level support for the EU Methane Strategy, however this did not appear to involve detailed positions. This has included advocacy from companies such as Enel and Naturgy.

Impacts on Policy Ambition

Announced in October 2020, the Methane Strategy detailed legislative and non-legislative actions to reduce methane emissions in each of the sectors, including several cross-sector actions, such as improvements and strengthening of methane emissions reporting and detection, and a new methane emission regulation for the energy sector.

For the agricultural sector, the strategy indicated plans to create an expert group to analyze life-cycle methane emissions metrics. It also considers creating an inventory of the best available technologies for reducing methane emissions in the sector, and promoting the uptake of mitigation techniques through the wider deployment of carbon farming, alongside other measures for the sector.

The strategy also examined the potential for methane emissions reduction targets, standards or incentives for fossil fuels consumed and imported in the EU. As part of the strategy, the Commission stated plans for a new methane regulation legislation for the energy sector, which was released in December 2021 and can be found on the policy tracker here.