The United States has just signed a protocol with 13 other countries providing for reducing methane emissions by 2015. To achieve this, the industrialized States will have to help the poorest to put in place efficient technologies for collecting gas fumes. greenhouse effect, especially in coal mines and on oil and gas fields. The US administration estimates some of the costs associated with this initiative at some $ 53 million over 5 years.
The goal is to capture, within ten years, no less than 9 million tonnes of methane per year, which can be sold as a source of energy. Industrialists and environmentalists welcome this agreement including major emitting nations such as China and India. But some openly regret the White House's refusal to ratify the Kyoto protocol which
attacks the main cause of the greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide (CO2). Indeed, the share of methane in this phenomenon is only 16% against more than 60% for CO2. The other signatories are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Russia and Ukraine. NYT 17/11/04 (US and 13 other states agree on push to gather methane)