One year after the EU Methane Regulation entered into force, Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand joins civil society partners across Europe to support its implementation and highlight progress and existing gaps in the legal framework for importers of fossil fuels to Europe. The Civil Society Observatory on Methane (CSO-M), a new European coalition of NGOs, has just unveiled its first member organisations from 9 countries and launched a Methane Regulation Tracker, a practical tool to monitor and support implementation.
“Methane emissions across the supply chain are a key indicator of poor environmental and operational practices in the fossil fuel industry. For years, Europe’s dependency on imported fossil gas — particularly from authoritarian regimes like Russia—has also fueled conflict, corruption, and environmental destruction. The full implementation of the EU Methane Regulation can shift this dynamic. By enforcing transparency and accountability across the gas supply chain, including imported gas, the Regulation will expose the hidden climate costs of fossil gas and reveal the true environmental footprint of unaccountable suppliers like Russia. This empowers EU consumers and policymakers to make cleaner, more ethical choices — and accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels”, – said Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director at Razom We Stand.
Methane, which has leaked in large quantities from extraction wells and gas infrastructure in Russia, is a powerful climate pollutant that has been over 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide over the past 20 years. Reducing methane emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow global warming. The EU Methane Regulation, adopted in 2024, is a critical step toward tackling fossil fuel emissions, including setting methane emissions intensity thresholds for imported gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Tackling methane emissions in the EU is critical for climate action, resilience and geopolitical security — and it directly matters for Ukraine. Strong EU methane rules for energy markets will help end the impunity of fossil fuel exporters that fund war and autocracy. It will also raise the bar for international energy trade, opening the door for cleaner, decentralised, and democratic energy partnerships that include Ukraine’s biomethane and green hydrogen potential. The fight against methane is a fight for energy justice, and Ukraine stands with Europe in this mission.
About the CSO-M and the Methane Regulation Tracker
The Civil Society Observatory on Methane (CSO-M) is a new pan-European platform co-hosted by Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDF Europe) and Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH). It enables NGOs across Europe to coordinate their efforts, share insights, and support effective implementation of the EU Methane Regulation. Razom We Stand is proud to be one of the founding members of CSO-M.
To mark the first anniversary, CSO-M launched the Methane Regulation Tracker, a civil society-led tool that monitors how EU Member States translate the law into action. The first version of the Tracker is now live, offering early insights into national efforts and improvement opportunities. Over time, it will support Member States, authorities, and civil society actors with timely, comparative, and constructive information.
What’s Next
Razom We Stand will work with civil society partners across Europe to connect the dots between EU efforts on climate accountability, with real energy security, powered by renewables and not by fossil gas imported from unaccountable dictatorships.
“We believe that joint advocacy on methane emissions can expose the true cost of fossil fuel dependency and accelerate Europe’s just transition. This is a pivotal moment to align climate action with geopolitical security. We are eager to collaborate with organisations, researchers, and campaigners who share our vision of a fossil-free, democratic, and secure Europe. Together, we can push for full and swift enforcement of the EU Methane Regulation and build a movement that holds polluters accountable — from the wellhead to the border — while lifting up clean energy solutions rooted in transparency, justice, and peace”, – said Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director at Razom We Stand.
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