The US and Canada have agreed to cut methane gas emissions from the oil and gas sector nearly in half within the next decade, the White House said Thursday. The announcement comes during a rare, pomp-filled state visit by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that featured a formal welcome ceremony on the lawn of the White House, a joint press conference and a state dinner Thursday evening, according to dpa. Obama and Trudeau have committed to a reduction in methane emissions by 40 to 45 per cent below 2012 levels by 2025, and US and Canadian authorities will start work immediately on developing emissions regulations. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, methane accounts for about 10 per cent of US human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second most prevalent greenhouse gas after carbon monoxide. The gas is also more effective than carbon monoxide at trapping radiation in Earth's atmosphere. After talks in the Oval Office, Obama and Trudeau also stressed the importance of implementing the Paris climate agreement reached last year and called for further global action on climate change.
