China sets sights on coal, petroleum and waste sectors to bring down methane emissions
- Beijing encourages firms to use market mechanisms to reduce methane, including a voluntary emissions trading system, according to climate official
- He says developing countries should not have to reach carbon neutrality at the same time as developed nations
Lu said China would introduce a nationwide methane emissions control action plan and establish policies, technologies and standards for methane emission reduction in coal, petroleum and waste treatment.
He said China would improve its measurement, reporting and verification system, adding that the country encouraged companies to use market mechanisms to cut methane emissions, including a voluntary greenhouse gas emissions trading system.
After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas emitted through human activity, accounting for 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most human-caused methane emissions come from three sectors – energy, agriculture and waste.
China is the world’s biggest emitter of human-caused methane and its largest source is coal mining, followed by waste and agriculture.
03:07
Climate deal to ‘phase down’ coal reached at COP26 as nations seek to avert climate disaster
