A coalition of environmental organizations, including eco-union, has come together to issue a joint letter to President von der Leyen, urgently urging her to use the upcoming State of the Union address as a platform to address one of the most critical and overlooked climate threats: the rapid increase in global methane emissions. The undersigned organizations express their gratitude for President von der Leyen’s commitment to the fight against climate change and call for the adoption of an ambitious methane regulation by the end of the legislative term.
Methane, a greenhouse gas over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat over 20 years, currently accounts for nearly half of the net global temperature increase. Its emissions also contribute to the rise of ground-level ozone, compromising air quality and public health. With methane concentrations already exceeding the IPCC’s 2°C degree scenarios, unchecked methane emissions pose the greatest single threat to triggering irreversible climate tipping points.
The coalition commends the European Commission’s leadership in addressing methane emissions, applauding the co-creation of the Global Methane Pledge at COP26, the inclusion of methane reduction incentives in the REPowerEU Plan, and the proposal for a Methane Regulation targeting the EU’s oil, gas, and coal sectors. If enacted with determination, this legislation could become a cornerstone of the European Green Deal’s success.
Despite these positive steps, the fight against methane emissions has not received the necessary attention it deserves in the broader climate change strategy. The undersigned organizations, therefore, urge President von der Leyen to emphasize the importance of a robust EU Methane Regulation in the upcoming State of the Union Address, and to call for accelerated progress towards achieving the goals of the Global Methane Pledge. Such measures would foster crucial support from Member States, EU Institutions, and partner countries, propelling one of the most impactful solutions to slow global warming and strengthen European energy security.
In light of the worsening impacts of climate change year by year, the undersigned organizations emphasize the urgency of addressing methane emissions as one of the swiftest and most cost-effective ways to mitigate the current warming trend. They implore President von der Leyen to use her platform this September to elevate awareness, rally stronger support, and inspire bolder action to reduce global methane emissions.
Read or download the joint letter
