Activities of Stanislav POLČÁK related to 2021/0423(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Methane emissions reduction in the energy sector (A9-0162/2023 - Pascal Canfin, Jutta Paulus)
Amendments (29)
Amendment 44 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Methane, the main component of natural gas, is second only to carbon dioxide in its overall contribution to climate change and is responsible for approximately a third of current warming, with a global warming potential 28 times higher than carbon dioxide over a 100- year period and 86 times higher over a 20- year period, making the reduction of methane emissions one of the short- and medium-term priorities in the EU's climate change ambitions.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) On a molecular level, although methane remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period (10 to 12 years) than carbon dioxide (hundreds of years), its greenhouse effect on the climate is more significant and it contributes to ground-level ozone formation, which is a potent air pollutant that causes serious health problems and contributes to around 20 000 premature deaths per year in Europe alone. The amount of methane in the atmosphere globally has risen sharply over the last decade. In the Union, methane accounts for around 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) According to the Union’s greenhouse gas (‘GHG’) inventories data, the energy sector is estimated to be responsible for 19% of methane emissions within the Union. This does not include methane emissions linked to the Union’s fossil energy consumption which are occurring outside the UnDoes not affect the English version.)
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The European Green Deal combines a comprehensive set of mutually reinforcing measures and initiatives aimed at achieving climate neutrality in the Union by 2050. The European Green Deal Communication14 indicates that the decarbonisation of the gas sector will be facilitated, including by addressing the issue of energy-related methane emissions. The Commission adopted an EU strategy to reduce methane emissions (‘the Methane Strategy’) in October 2020 setting out measures to cut methane emissions in the EU, including in the energy sector, and internationally. In Regulation (EU) 2021/111915 (‘European Climate Law’), the Union has enshrined into legislation the target of economy-wide climate neutrality by 2050 and also established a binding Union domestic reduction commitmentarget of net greenhouse gas emissions (emissions after deduction of removals) of at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. To achieve that level of GHG emission reductions, methane emissions from the energy sector should decrease by around 58% by 2030 compared to 2020. _________________ 14 COM(2019) 640 final. 15 Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021).
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Rules for accurate measurement, reporting and verification of methane emissions in the oil, gas and coal sectors, as well as for the abatement of those emissions, including through leak detection and repair surveys and restrictions on venting and flaring, should be addressed by an appropriate Union legal framework. Such a framework should contain rules to enhance transparency with regard to fossil energy imports into the Union, thus improving the incentives for a wider uptake of methane emissions mitigation solutions across the globe.
Amendment 98 #
(16) The information in the emission reports submitted to the competent authorities should be provided to the Commission in view of a verification role to be attributed to the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), in particular with regards to methodologies for data aggregation and analysis and verification of methodologies and statistical processes employed by companies to quantify their emissions reported data. The reference criteria in that respect may include the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) standards and guidance documents. The information produced by the IMEO should be made available to the public and the Commission should use such information to address any identified shortcomings with regards to the measurement, reporting and verification of methane emissions data.
Amendment 119 #
(39) Operators should notify major venting and flaring events without delay to the competent authorities and submit more comprehensive reports on all venting and flaring events. They should also ensure that equipment and devices comply with the standards laid down in Union law.Does not affect the English version.)
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 51
Recital 51
(51) The Union is dependent on imports for 70% of its hard coal consumption, 97% of its oil consumption, and 90% of its fossil gas consumption. There is no precise knowledge on the magnitude, origin or nature of methane emissions linked to fossil energy consumed in the Union but occurring in third countries; however, it is clear that the Union also contributes significantly to global methane emissions in this way.
Amendment 233 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20 – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20 – introductory part
Amendment 234 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20 – point e
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20 – point e
(e) repeated failures, that is to say four or more failures within the preceding 30 days, of the same piece of equipment, or 10 or more failures of the same piece of equipment within one calendar year;
Amendment 235 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
Amendment 294 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 315 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Following each inspection, the competent authorities shall prepare a report describing the legal basis for the inspection, the procedural steps followed, and the relevant findings, and recommendations for theshall determine or recommend further action by the operator or mine operator, including the deadlines for their implementation.
Amendment 337 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. Where it becomes apparent that the complaint does not provide sufficient evidence to justify pursuing an investigation, the competent authorities shall inform the complainant of the reasons for their decision not to pursue an investigation.
Amendment 420 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 453 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 529 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The competent authorities may require the operator to amend the programme taking into account the requirements of this Regulation without undue delay, but no later than 1 month after the operator receives the request for amendment.
Amendment 557 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Thereafter, leak detection and repair surveys shall be repeated at least every three months.
Amendment 656 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 3
Where a higher risk to safety or a higher risk of methane losses is identified, the competent authorities may recommendquire that surveys of the relevant components take place more frequently.
Amendment 661 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 2
Operators shall keep the record for at least ten years and shall provide that information to competent authorities upon their request without undue delay.
Amendment 668 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2
The competent authorities may require the operator to amend the report or the repair and monitoring schedule taking into account the requirements of this Regulation without undue delay, but no later than 1 calendar month after the operator receives such notice.
Amendment 919 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) methane emissions from coal mining equipment, use of which has been discontinued;Does not affect the English version.)
Amendment 935 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
From … [18 months from the date of entry into force of this Regulation], measurement equipment shall be installed on all elements listed in point (v) of Part 1 of Annex VII for closed coal mines and abandoned coal mines where operations have ceased since … [50 years prior to the date of entry into force of this Regulation]there is a risk of methane leakage.
Amendment 955 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
On the basis of the inventory referred to in Article 25, Member States shall develop and implement a mitigation plan to address methane emissions from abandoned coal mines and mine operators shall develop and implement a mitigation plan to address methane emissions from closed coal mines.
Amendment 995 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
In the event that the Commission finds that the progress made in mitigating methane emissions in the energy sector is not sufficient, it will carry out an impact assessment on making imports of fossil fuels into the Union conditional on compliance with EU regulations on monitoring, reporting and verification, leak detection and repair, and venting and flaring rules applicable across the entire production-supply chain, and make proposals for further action.
Amendment 1004 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i
Article 28 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i
(i) whether it has mandatory regulatory measures in place on energy sector methane emissions, covering the elements set out in this Regulation regarding measurement, reporting and verification and mitigation of energy sector methane emissions, and whether those measures are sufficient;
Amendment 1028 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
b a) the operator or undertaking has not submitted a methane emissions report in accordance with Article 12;
Amendment 1038 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 4 – point h
Article 30 – paragraph 4 – point h
(h) the manner in which the infringement became known to the authority, in particular whether, and if so to what extent, the operator timely notified the infringement;Does not affect the English version.)
Amendment 1041 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 5
Article 30 – paragraph 5
5. Member States shall publish annually information on the type and the size of the penalties imposed under this Regulation, the infringements and the operators upon which penalties have been imposed, in accordance with the rules on the publication of reports referred to in Article 5(4).