Methane, a climate time bomb: On the trail of leaks in Romania

When we think of the climate crisis, carbon dioxide usually comes to mind. However, methane is not only the second-largest contributor to global warming, it’s also 84 times more potent than CO2.

At the COP26 summit in 2021, nearly 100 countries signed on to the Global Methane Pledge, promising to limit emissions by 30 percent by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. Nearly 160 countries have since joined the movement, but have they kept their promise?

Clean Air Task Force was one of the first non-profits to put the spotlight on a common yet devastating practice: methane deliberately vented from fossil fuel facilities. FRANCE 24’s reporters joined a team of so-called “methane hunters” on a mission in Romania, where the NGO has reported high emissions escaping from oil fields. 

Thanks to a new EU regulation set to come into force in May 2025, it will soon be harder for leaks to go unpunished. Companies will be forced to monitor and limit their emissions or face penalties. So far, industry initiatives in Romania remain limited – the country is home to ageing infrastructure prone to leaks – but the work of activists is beginning to pay off.