The controlled release or burning of methane from Canadian oil and gas production sites is set to be almost entirely barred come 2030, according to the Environment Minister.
Steven Guilbeault made the announcement while in Dubai for COP28, this year’s annual global climate talks.
The minister is expected to publish draft regulations today that aim to cut methane emission by 75 per cent from the oil-and-gas sector by 2030 when compared to numbers recorded in 2012.
At #COP28, Minister Guilbeault announces draft methane regulations to support cleaner energy and climate action.https://t.co/pr0kY4yg4W
— GC Newsroom (@NewsroomGC) December 4, 2023
A federal review found in 2021 that the country was on track to hit current targets to cut emissions from these sectors by 40 to 45 by 2025.
However, more recent reports have suggested that this may not be accurate due to methane leaks and releases not being well-documented.
‘Reducing #methane is one our biggest opportunities to act on climate & it’s the right thing to do because it’s critically important in the fight against climate change’ —@s_guilbeault
75% methane reduction in oil & gas sector & $30M for methane center of excellence pic.twitter.com/CBfkzsLYOM
— Commission for Environmental Cooperation (@CECweb) December 4, 2023
While methane doesn’t linger in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide, it is better at trapping heat. This means that cutting emissions is considered to be one of the most effective approaches to reducing global warming.
In 2021, methane comprised just shy of 14 per cent of Canada’s total emissions and the oil-and-gas industry accounted for 40 per cent of that.
This report was created with files from The Canadian Press
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