Reducing methane emissions
In its first annual report on the International Methane Emissions Observatory, the United Nations Environment Programme acknowledges the credibility of GRTgaz’s programmes to reduce methane emissions. This recognition offers a boost to the company to continue and increase the practical actions already undertaken in its fight against climate change.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the world's leading environmental authority. On 31 October 2021, it published its first annual report on the Methane Emissions Observatory. As highlighted by Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UNEP, reducing emissions is the best way of slowing down climate change over the coming 25 years. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 80 times more powerful than CO2 over a 20-year timeframe, and responsible for around 30% of global temperature increases since the pre-industrial era.
“The itinerary of its implementation plan takes into account the full technical, operational and economic complexity of the gas industry. And its reporting process is robust,” states the UNEP. GRTgaz is thus ranked as a “gold standard”UNEP
A clear commitment with ambitious goals
The United Nations have thus launched an initiative to reduce methane emissions. GRTgaz contributes to this, and its involvement was praised in the “An Eye on Methane” report published in 2021 by the International Methane Emissions Observatory. The company is described as having a clear commitment and ambitious goals for reducing its methane emissions. “The itinerary of its implementation plan takes into account the full technical, operational and economic complexity of the gas industry. And its reporting process is robust,” states the UNEP. GRTgaz is thus ranked as a “gold standard” company, with a reporting system classed at mainly level 4 on a 5-point scale.
Actions across the board
Being awarded this “gold standard” signifies GRTgaz’s tangible commitment to reducing methane emissions over coming years. The actions are broad in scope and apply to the full range of its assets. As a result, emissions fell by 66% between 2016-2020. The company is making particular efforts to avoid blowholes during its planned works, to adapt its compressor stations, to implement research campaigns and to repair any leaks at its facilities. It is also investing in R&D to promote the emergence of innovative techniques to detect, quantify and treat emissions.
A new challenge
Momentum is positive; however, there is still some progress to be made. In 2021, GRTgaz thus launched a new programme to further reduce its methane emissions by 40% by 2025 . This target, which would amount to an overall 80% reduction since 2016, has made it one of the most ambitious participants in the UN’s initiative. GRTgaz intends to play an active role in the joint efforts confirmed in November at the COP26 in Glasgow and formalised by the signature of the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce worldwide methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
