Jul 07, 2006 -- STATE DEPARTMENT RELEASE/ContentWorks

Germany has joined the United States and 16 other countries in the Methane to Markets Partnership, an international climate-change initiative to recover and use methane, the second most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, as a clean energy source, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced July 6. President Bush launched the Methane to Markets Partnership in November 2004 as a public-private effort to encourage methane recovery projects in agriculture, coal mines, landfills and oil and gas systems. The United States will commit up to $53 million over five years to the initiative.

Although methane is a clean-burning fuel and the primary component of natural gas, it also is a potent greenhouse gas that can contribute to global warming, according to EPA. Methane does not represent as great a percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions as carbon dioxide, but it is of greater concern because, over a 100-year period, it is 23 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the earth's atmosphere, according to the EPA.

The agency says methane concentrations in the atmosphere have more than doubled over the last 200 years, largely due to human-related activities. As a result, methane accounts for 16 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, second only to carbon dioxide. (See Questions and Answers about Methane.)

Countries that join in the Methane to Markets Partnership work in collaboration with the private sector, multilateral development banks and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations to identify opportunities for methane recovery and use, as well as develop better emissions estimates and improved legal, regulatory, financial and institutional conditions necessary to attract investment in methane recovery and utilization projects.

"The Bush Administration has an unparalleled financial, international and domestic commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Voluntary programs, like EPA's Methane to Markets Partnership, are achieving significant reductions by taking methane waste and turning it into wealth," says EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. "By working with Germany to promote advances in clean technology, President Bush is helping turn strong economic partners into good global neighbors." , , The United States views the joint commitments made under the Methane to Markets Partnership as helping to meet the shared goals of reducing global methane emissions while enhancing economic growth, promoting energy security and improving the environment.

EPA estimates that this partnership could recover up to 115 billion cubic meters of natural gas (50 million metric tons of carbon equivalent) annually by 2015, using "waste" methane as a new energy source that stimulates economic growth even as it reduces global emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas.

According to EPA, by 2015, Methane to Markets has the potential to deliver annual reductions in methane emissions equal to planting 22 million hectares of trees or eliminating emissions from 33 million cars in America. , , More than 300 organizations from around the world have made commitments to this partnership. In addition to Germany, countries participating in Methane to Markets are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Commission also has decided to join the Methane-to-Markets Partnership.

Among the upcoming events related to the Methane to Markets Partnership are the Third International Conference on Biomass for Energy in Kiev, Ukraine, September 18-20, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Workshop on Geomechanical and Geodynamic Aspects of High Efficiency Extraction of Coalmine and Coalbed Methane, to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, September 20-22.

Germany and the United States have a history of working together to reduce harmful air pollution and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions through such mechanisms as the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Delhi Declaration, the G8 Action Plan on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development Plan of Implementation. (See White House fact sheet.), , General information about the Methane to Markets Partnership is available on the EPA Web site.

For additional information on U.S. environmental policies, see Environment.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.)

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