Integrated Approach to Methane Emissions Abatement

Methane emissions account for around 12.5 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in EU Member States. According to the EU Methane Action Plan, around 54 per cent of these emissions come from agriculture, 27 per cent from waste, and 17 per cent from fossil fuels. The potential to reduce methane emissions is high and Member States must make great efforts to implement the EU’s Methane Strategy of 2020 as a commitment to a strong and coherent climate policy framework. Current EU policies on non-CO2 emissions are projected to reduce methane emissions in the EU by 29 per cent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

The project partners conducted a baseline study for Lithuania, Poland and Romania, including interviews with industry representatives, satellite data observations, policy reviews and secondary literature research. They identified the largest anthropogenic sources of methane emissions across sectors and assessed policies, sectoral practices and barriers to methane emissions mitigation. 

In sector-specific workshops, representatives from government, industry, civil society and research identified the most suitable methane mitigation measures and built consensus on a strategy. In parallel, the project empowered government officials to develop better emissions inventories. International experts provided information about the latest research on reducing methane emissions. Finally, the project partners equipped the three countries with sectoral policy recommendations and guidelines for designing integrated methane emissions mitigation plans.

• Impactful methane policies: The project facilitated the implementation of the EU Methane Regulation through improved national methane policies in several countries. In Lithuania, for example, a parliamentary hearing led to biomethane projects with a planned budget of €16 million. These projects can generate approximately 140 GWh per year and avoid approximately 28,200 tCO₂eq annually, as methane is utilized rather than released and replaces fossil gas.  
• Improved methane management: The project empowered government officials in three countries to systematically track methane emissions and implement measures to reduce them. Training, measurement tools, and country-specific emission profiles improve data quality and planning. Government agencies are implementing EU methane regulations more effectively and reducing emissions in a sustainable manner. 
• Companies support methane reduction: For the first time, 21 of the largest companies in the energy and waste sectors committed to methane reduction measures. Since the project ended, they have continued to collaborate on scientific projects and are driving efforts to reduce emissions.