Poland Joins Methane to Markets Partnership

Poland has become the 19th country to join the Methane to Markets Partnership, an international initiative that promotes the recovery and use of methane as a source of clean energy.

The partnership extended membership to Poland during its steering committee meeting December 15 in Rome, according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) press release.

"Voluntary programs like the Methane to Markets Partnership are delivering environmental and economic results by turning methane waste into wealth," said EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.

The Methane to Markets Partnership, launched by President Bush in 2004, is a public-private partnership that brings together the technical and market expertise, financing and technology needed to advance cost-effective methane recovery and use projects at landfills, agricultural operations and coal mines, and in oil and gas systems. (See related article.)

"By working with Poland to promote advances in clean energy technology,” Johnson said, “we are transforming important economic partners into good global neighbors."

Poland joins 18 other countries and a growing project network of nearly 500 public- and private-sector organizations in efforts to reduce emissions of methane – a powerful greenhouse gas – and deliver clean energy to markets around the world. (See related article.)

Other members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"The Republic of Poland is proud to be the newest member of the Methane to Markets Partnership," said Piotr Wozniak, Poland's minister of economy. "This partnership will advance the beneficial use of methane in Poland, and we look forward to contributing our expertise in all sectors – especially in coal mining – to expand international investment and enhance methane-capture technologies."

President Bush has committed up to $53 million to Methane to Markets over the next five years. In 2005, the United States contributed more than $5 million and leveraged more than $235 million in public- and private-sector contributions toward project development.

Once these methane projects are fully implemented, they are expected to garner annual greenhouse gas reductions of nearly 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Methane to Markets is planning a partnership exposition in 2007; China has agreed to co-sponsor the event, scheduled for October 2007 in Beijing.

Source:usinfo.state.gov