Methane reduction in a divided regulatory landscape: what it means for decarbonisation

The United States and European Union have adopted distinct regulatory approaches when it comes to reducing methane emissions and advancing global decarbonisation goals. Initially bolstered by the Inflation Reduction Act and reinforced by EPA methane rules, the U.S. framework now faces headwinds following the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which scales back clean energy support and signals a broader rollback of federal climate incentives. This shift has introduced new uncertainty around the durability and direction of U.S. methane policy. Meanwhile, the EU’s Methane Regulation, implemented in 2024, enforces strict monitoring, reporting and reduction requirements that extend to fossil fuel imports, positioning the trading bloc as a leader in methane mitigation. Greater regulatory consistency would be a boon for operators, who are also dealing with non-binding and irregularly implemented agreements such as the Global Methane Pledge, data gaps, monitoring challenges, and economic and infrastructure barriers. Companies must take a pragmatic approach to compliance and investment, balancing technological solutions with policy uncertainty to keep decarbonisation goals within reach.

Attendee insights:

Explore how stakeholders are adapting strategies, managing compliance costs and trade risks, and investing in mitigation technologies to navigate diverging methane regulations across key markets.

Mitigating methane emissions to accelerate the energy transition

The Global Decarbonisation Accelerator encompasses a series of landmark initiatives and is designed to speed up the energy transition and significantly reduce global emissions. The Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), which is part of the Global Decarbonisation Accelerator, aims to align the industry to eliminate routine flaring by 2030, to deliver net-zero operations emissions by 2050 and to achieve near-zero upstream methane emissions. Beyond the decarbonisation priorities, the charter points to the need for the oil and gas industry to up its game, including engaging with customers, investing in the energy systems of the future, and increasing transparency in measurement, reporting and independent verification.

In this Action Session we will discuss the role of the GDA, more particularly the OGDC, in supporting oil and gas companies in its ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their operations.