BRUSSELS, Nov. 4 -- The European Union is ignoring an urgent climate issue hidden inside its natural gas supply chain, according to a new policy brief by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The problem is methane, a fast-acting climate pollutant 84-87x more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timespan. And the best options for cutting these potent gases are in the oil and gas industry, one of the world's largest manmade sources of methane emissions.
In 2017 the EU consumed 47% of the world's internationally traded gas, making it the single largest market for imported gas. Europe's gas is sourced from top methane emitting countries, including Russia, the United States and Algeria. As European demand for imported natural gas rises, met...