Romania has one of the oldest energy infrastructures in Europe, NGO says

Romania has one of the oldest energy infrastructures in Europe, and fugitive emissions of methane have been documented in most of the oil and gas networks investigated at the national level, according to environmental NGO 2Celsius.

Fugitive gas emissions (typically natural gas, which contains methane) into the atmosphere or groundwater are caused by the extraction of oil and gas, or by coal mining.

The 2Celsius association, together with seven other NGOs, wrote an open letter to the president of Romania and the environment minister, asking them to sign on to the Global Compact to reduce methane emissions, which will be discussed at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Egypt.

“The global commitment to reduce methane emissions is an initiative by which countries around the world commit to contributing to the reduction of global methane emissions. 122 countries have joined this ambitious goal of reducing methane emissions by at least 30% to date,” say representatives of 2Celsius in a press release.

Major sources of emissions, like the extraction of oil and gas and the mining industry, are given a special focus in the global accord. 2Celsius also notes that companies operating in Romania do not implement the Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) monitoring or prevention programs, which are designed to lower emissions.

The NGO asks for the adoption of relevant measures to manage and reduce methane emissions in Romania, bringing the local industries in line with the global effort to reduce the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate. According to the latest estimates of the International Energy Agency, 2Celsius stresses, methane emissions from the energy sector are approximately 70% higher than the sum of the forecasts presented by national governments.

As the second most important gas-extracting country in Europe, Romania should have a proactive role in the European efforts to combat emissions. The need for taking relevant measures to this end is even direr considering the current efforts to increase Romania’s gas exploitation in the Black Sea region.

“Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 84-86 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, and 60% of emissions are due to human actions,” the environmental specialists claim.

(Photo source: Andis Atvars | Dreamstime.com)