Skip to main content
Jan 28, 2022 - Energy & Environment

U.S. floats ideas on methane and clean power

Ben Geman
An illustration of a lightbulb with a globe in it

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The U.S. has begun preliminary discussions with other nations about setting new clean-energy targets and plans to cut methane emissions.

Driving the news: The administration on Thursday hosted a ministerial-level meeting of the U.S.-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.

Officials told reporters that the U.S. put concepts on the table, including...

  • Countries putting forward specific national action plans on methane this year — even MEF countries that are not part of the existing Global Methane Pledge, which broadly aims for a 30% cut by 2030.
  • A collective goal for the share of new installed power capacity this decade that would come from zero-carbon sources.
  • A similarly collective goal on the deployment of zero-emissions vehicles.

Yes, but: While the meeting was high-level — Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened it and special climate envoy John Kerry led it — officials described Thursday's session as a way to get conversations started.

  • A head of state-level MEF meeting is expected later this year.
Go deeper