US to prevent methane from entering the atmosphere

The US has prepared to announce its measure for preventing millions of tonnes of methane from entering the atmosphere.

The measure will primarily target the methane that leaks from all the gas and oil rigs in the US. Methane is one of the most important greenhouse gases which is responsible for one-third of global warming.

A global partnership is stepping towards cutting the methane that has been announced at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Many countries have taken part in this initiative, that the EU and US are leading to cut the emission of gas by 30% by 2030. However, Russia, China, India are some of the top emitters who are not among them.

The efforts will offer a main focus to curb global warming through reducing CO2, which emits due to human activities. Also, there has been growing attention on methane to work better on climate change. Individual molecules of methane have more power with a warming effect on the atmosphere than CO2.

Mr. Biden will now announce his plans at the conference. The other countries are also trying to present their plans to limit the effect of global warming to avoid climate change.

In the US, both the gas and oil industry work as the largest industrial source for methane emission. Under its Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan, the EPA will come up with new regulations to work on it.

However, it will also purpose the regulation to require the states to develop their plans which will reduce the methane from the existing sources. A program will plug all the abandoned orphan gas and oil wells; of which some are still venting the gas.

The nation will now propose a new safety regulation to further tighten all the requirements for methane leaks from the 3m miles of pipelines.

World leaders are now gathering together in Glasgow. They are looking to the US for true leadership. Many organizations and the Natural Resources Defense Council have welcomed the plan of Biden.

The steps are very critical to meet the pledge of the president to cut the climate pollution of America. The EPA action will further bolster the growth of international efforts with the leadership of the US and EU.

One of the biggest sources of methane is transportation. In 2019, the gas in the atmosphere had reached record levels. It was two-and-a-half times above the pre-industrial era.

Credits: BBC