While it is recognised that there is a need to move away from fossil fuels to zero or low carbon energy sources, overall, gas demand worldwide is estimated to grow around 15% by 2030 in the IEA’s Sustainable Development Scenario before plateauing in the coming decades. This contrasts sharply with the picture for coal and oil, which drop globally by almost 60% and 30% respectively by 2040 (IEA 2018).
During this transition period, reducing oil and gas methane emissions is the fastest and most cost-effective way to slow the rate of global warming in the short term as efforts continue to decarbonize the energy system by adopting cleaner forms of energy.
The “Mineral Methane initiative’s objective is to promote significant reductions in methane and black carbon emissions from the oil and gas sector and specifically:
These objectives will be achieved through the following components:
[1] 45% reduction by 2025 is consistent with the commitment made by Canada, Mexico and the United States in 2016 to develop rules to reduce up to 45 percent of methane escaping from across the continent’s oil and gas industries by 2025.
[2] The International Energy Agency estimates the industry can reduce its worldwide emissions by 75 percent—and that up to two-thirds of those reductions can be realized at zero net cost (https://www.iea.org/weo2017)
Video: About oil and gas methane
The overall goal is to reduce methane methane and black carbon emissions from the oil and gas sector, and specifically:
Activities of the Mineral Methane Initiative have the following objectives:
Oil and Gas Methane Science Studies - to address a critical lack of global methane measurement data in the oil and gas sector to help prioritise company actions and government policies for addressing this important SLCP emissions source
Black Carbon Technology Demonstration - to reduce black carbon emissions by mobilizing finance and investment as well as developing best practices and policies for black carbon mitigation
Peer to Peer Regulatory Support - to support developing countries by promoting broad-based adoption of sector-scale policies, sharing successful best practice solutions for regulating methane emissions and reducing flaring, and providing technical and policy support for development of policies
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)’s ‘Mineral Methane Initiative' (formerly Oil and Gas Initiative) has focused on methane and black carbon emissions reductions from the oil and gas sector, and greatly contributed to raise awareness on the issue among governments and companies. Milestones such as the high-level launch of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) at the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in 2014 and the early engagement of leading governments and high level champions, all contributed.
As a result, the methane landscape has changed. Through CCAC, a growing number of international oil and gas companies are taking initial voluntary steps to integrate methane management in their current and future operations and engaging their partners to raise awareness of the methane issue across the entire gas supply chain. Industry has also created its own platforms, such as the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), and the Methane Guiding Principles (MGP). Mexico, Canada and the US have already regulated these emissions and awareness about the benefits of reducing methane emissions grew among policy makers and the general public. These recent developments made the methane management ecosystem much more complex, and drove the CCAC partners to rethink the role of the initiative so to match the leadership shown by some industry partners and promote a wider endorsement of ambitious targets from both governments and industry.
5-year milestones:
Over the last year, the Coalition has increased high-level engagement and developed a robust framework for a multiple benefits pathway approach. Key results from our 11 initiatives are reflected...
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Lead Partner: A Coalition partner with an active role in coordinating, monitoring and guiding the work of an initiative.
Implementer: A Coalition partner or actor receiving Coalition funds to implement an activity or initiative.
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Entities that wish to commit to reduce methane from the oil and gas sector and join the Global Methane Alliance should complete and sign this form.
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