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Last month, Environment and Climate Change Canada released Faster and Further: Canada’s Methane Strategy. The document set out Canada’s plan to reduce methane emissions across key economic sectors of the Canadian economy, while positioning the country to benefit from potential economic opportunities that may arise from such action.
Methane is a greenhouse gas (GHG) responsible for roughly 30% of global warming, with at least 25 times the warming potential of CO2 over a 100-year period. It is, however, a short-lived pollutant which generally remains in the atmosphere for a mere 12 years, whereas GHGs like CO2 persist far longer. As a result, cutting methane emissions may achieve relatively quick and effective reductions to cumulative atmospheric GHG levels.
Canada’s broader 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan calls for emission reduction of 40-45% of 2005 levels by 2030, with a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. In 2020, methane was 14% of Canada’s total emissions and came almost exclusively from three sectors of the economy: oil and gas (38%), agriculture (30%), and waste and landfills (28%). The measures outlined in the Strategy will reduce methane emissions by more than 35% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels.
The Faster and Further plan aims to:
Improve the estimation of methane emissions from the oil and gas, agricultural, and landfill sectors;
Retrofit valves and gas-driven pneumatic controllers that emit natural gas to reduce methane emissions, and improve leak detection and repair for methane in the oil and gas sector;
Recover and destroy methane produced by large municipal waste landfills to achieve a 50% emission reduction from 2019 sectoral levels by 2030;
Provide large-scale agricultural sector capital investments to help develop and adopt clean technologies;
Support Canadian companies to be world leaders in methane reduction technologies; and
Support global methane emissions reductions by providing technical expertise and funding to fellow nations.
Looking for help understanding how Canada’s methane reduction plan might affect your business? Contact us at 647-724-4308 or info@greeneconomylaw.com.