U.S.-EU Methane Pledge Invites Countries to Rein in a Major Climate Pollutant

WASHINGTON – President Biden announced today that the United States and the European Union have pledged to reduce emissions of methane, a powerful but short-lived pollutant arising from livestock, waste, and oil, gas and coal operations—all contributing to climate change.

The following is a statement from David Doniger, senior strategic director, Climate & Clean Energy program, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“Cutting methane pollution is a critical step that countries can take right now to slow the dangerous climate change driving increasingly extreme weather, threatening public health and disrupting economies with the heaviest impact on the world’s poor.  The U.S.-EU methane pledge is an invitation for all major methane-emitting countries to join in the global drive to rein in this potent heat-trapping pollution.

“Because methane is so potent a climate pollutant in the short run, the benefits of curbing emissions start rolling in almost immediately. The technology to control emissions is here, and it’s cheap and readily available.”


NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.

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