The UK should hold fast on methane regulations for stronger energy security 

The EU is reportedly set to grant a three-year grace period to oil and gas importers breaching its landmark methane regulation, caving to industry pressure at exactly the wrong moment.

The EU Methane Regulation (EUMR) is the world’s first legally binding standard aimed at curbing methane emissions in the energy sector. In part, from 2027 it requires fossil fuel imports to undergo emissions monitoring equivalent to EU norms, in a bid to avoid leaks of the incredibly potent greenhouse gas methane.

The potential grace period is being framed as an energy security response in the wake of disruption to global supply. But it follows what POLITICO describes as ‘stepped up’ lobbying by Washington, calls for weaker methane rules from the US ambassador to the EU and ’emboldened scepticism’ from the fossil fuel industry — despite the regulation having always been designed with a phased timeline to give operators time to adapt

More importantly, the energy security argument gets the economics backwards and ingrains a harmful narrative. The regulations’ intention to monitor and eventually reduce methane leakage means incentivising the capturing of gas that would otherwise be wasted, improving resource efficiency and bolstering supply. In the UK alone, North Sea operators wasted enough gas in 2024 to heat over 570,000 homes, roughly the number of households in South Yorkshire. Tighter standards don’t threaten energy security. They strengthen it.

The UK published its first Methane Action Plan last October, which was a genuine step forward. It even commits to “initiate work to understand and address methane emissions associated with imported fossil fuels” as a route to meeting international commitments made in 2021 via the Global Methane Pledge. If the UK is to hold its position as a leading advocate of the Global Methane Pledge, it shouldn’t hold back on this ambition which makes both economic and climate sense.

The UK cut methane emissions across all sectors by 62% between 1990 and 2023. Besides being a Global Methane Pledge champion, it is one of the world’s largest gas importers. It makes no sense to cut emissions at home while doing nothing to help support overseas action. The case for matching the current EUMR, whatever form it goes on to take, makes both economic and climate sense.

Photo by matt brown on Unsplash