On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a delay in the implementation of a requirement for the oil and gas industry to limit methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. This requirement, established during the Biden administration, was intended to take effect this year. However, the Trump administration has extended the deadline to January 2027 and is contemplating the complete repeal of the measure.

This decision undermines efforts by the United States to mitigate climate change, particularly following the Trump administration's absence from the recent United Nations climate summit, marking the first time the U.S. has not participated in the annual meetings since their inception 30 years ago.

Additionally, under President Trump, the EPA is working to revoke the federal government's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and power plants, with these rollbacks expected to be finalized in the near future.

Methane is classified as a “super pollutant” due to its significant heat-trapping ability, being approximately 80 times more effective than carbon dioxide in the short term. It accounts for nearly one-third of the increase in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator, stated that the delay in methane regulations would result in an estimated savings of $750 million for oil and gas companies over an 11-year period in compliance costs.