New Draft Plans Will Help Reduce Methane Emissions by 75%

The Canadian federal government has released a new draft plan that will help reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by at least 75 percent. At COP26, the UN climate change conference held two years ago, Canada and more than 150 other countries signed the 2021 Global Methane Pledge. The goal of this pledge was to reduce methane emissions worldwide before 2030 by 30 percent below 2020 levels.

 The Federal Environment Minister stated that the federal government is reducing if not eliminating most exclusions from the existing regulations. The new draft plan states that Canada would eliminate routine venting and flaring of oil and gas infrastructure, which can cause large amounts of methane to enter the atmosphere. Although methane doesn’t remain as long in the atmosphere in comparison to carbon dioxide, it traps much more heat. Reducing methane emissions is a very effective option to reduce climate change impacts. The federal government is also creating new performance standards for methane leak detection and repair, with a focus on venting and flaring sites with the highest risk.

 The new draft plan could lead to a reduction of the equivalent of 217 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from 2027 to 2040. The federal government has announced an investment of $30 million to create a “Methane Centre of Excellence”, which will provide information to help increase the accuracy of methane emissions.

 As the Canadian government makes plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is important that consumers also try to reduce their carbon footprint as well. The Anorra Turbines and Towers are a valid option for rural homeowners, tiny homeowners, and cottage owners to transition away from fossil fuels and leverage wind-based clean renewable energy to power or heat their homes.