Page 12 - AsiaElec Week 48 2021

AsiaElec EMISSIONS AsiaElec

China unveils initial

methane emissions

control plans

CHINA CHINA has said it will examine how to control emissions.
methane emissions in major sectors of the econ- China’s methane emissions were 55.29 mil-
omy as it builds on its COP26 promises to limit lion tonnes in 2014, accounting for 10.4% of
methane. total greenhouse gases emission in the country,
The country’s environment ministry said it latest official data has revealed. The energy sector
would look at the coal mining, agriculture and contributed 45% of the methane discharge while
petroleum sectors and publish a nationwide agriculture accounted for 40%.
methane emission control action plan, Reuters “We will roll out thorough research on Chi-
reported. na’s methane emission control situation, and set
China and the US, the world’s two biggest effective emission reduction measures targeting
greenhouse gases emitters, said at COP26 in coal mining, agriculture, solid waste and sewage
Glasgow that they would ramp up co-operation water treatment, as well as petroleum and natu-
to tackle climate change, including cutting meth- ral gas sectors,” Lu said.
ane emissions. Lu also said the MEE will set standards for
“The formulation of a methane action plan is the reduction and utilisation of methane emis-
... an important work of China’s active response sions at coal and petroleum industries, and will
to climate change strategy, and an important encourage companies to cut methane emissions
measure to implement the Sino-U.S. joint dec- via market trades.
laration,” Lu Xinming, a vice director of the China has a carbon emissions trading plat-
climate change department at the Ministry of form, but not one for methane.
Ecology and Environment (MEE), told a news The MEE did not disclose the time frame
briefing. and detailed targets of the nationwide methane
Methane is produced during energy produc- reduction action plan. But an MEE official, who
tion, by livestock and at landfill sites as organic declined to be identified as he is not authorised
waste decays. to speak to media, said the plan was scheduled to
Although it is stays in the atmosphere for a be published in 2022, Reuters said.
far shorter length of time than carbon dioxide, Some Chinese oil and gas firms, such as
it is 80 times more potent in warming the earth. China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and
As such, reducing methane emissions has Sinopec, have set their own targets on cutting
been identified as a key make fast progress methane emissions.™
on reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG)

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 48 01•December•2021