Industry Leaders Are Demanding Biogas Incentives at COP30

Thirty leading industrial and utilities companies have joined the Let Green Gas Count campaign in demanding that the Greenhouse Gas Protocol explicitly recognise market-based instruments for renewable gases, including biomethane.

The joint letter, published ahead of COP30, targets the GHG Protocol framework that guides 97% of Fortune 500 companies but does not currently allow firms to claim credit for purchasing green gas certificates.

The timing aligns with the Brazilian COP Presidency's recent pledge to quadruple production and use of renewable fuels, including gases, by 2035.

Hard-to-abate sectors are sounding the alarm

Heavy industry representatives argue that current accounting standards are blocking decarbonisation in sectors where electrification faces technical or economic constraints.

"Our company strongly believes that biomethane can play a big part in decarbonising steel and energy-intensive industries. Before this is the case some hurdles need to be taken down. Biomethane not being supported in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol is one of them," says Albert Kassies, Director of New Energy at Tata Steel Nederland.

"As decarbonisation projects for hard-to-abate industries are long and complex, it is essential that enabling conditions for these projects are brought in place as soon as possible."

The steel manufacturer is one of Europe's largest and part of the global Tata Steel Group.

Why the transport and consumer goods industries are joining the push

The heavy-duty transport sector has emphasised biomethane's dual role in cutting emissions from both manufacturing operations and vehicles on the road.

"When the GHG Protocol recognises renewable gas certificates, the market for renewable gases can grow more quickly, which will speed up the decarbonisation of industrial operations and heavy truck transports," explains Lars Mårtensson, Environmental Director at Volvo Trucks.

Major consumer goods manufacturers are also calling for clearer guidance on certification schemes.

"Where direct biomethane delivery isn't efficient, we will rely on Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin (RGGOs) to ensure traceability and credibility. Clear guidance from the GHG Protocol will be essential to scale this approach globally," says Maria Pia De Caro, EVP of Integrated Operations at Pernod Ricard.

The relationship between the market and policies

Despite more than 50 new policies supporting biogas uptake introduced globally since 2020, according to the International Energy Agency's 2025 Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane, only around 5% of the total potential for sustainable production is currently being utilised.

The European Union already recognises renewable gases including biogas, biomethane and e-methane as vital for decarbonising the economy and supporting energy security.

Andreas Guth, Secretary General of Eurogas and coordinator of the Let Green Gas Count campaign, has called the upcoming revision "a prime opportunity to bring the Protocol up-to-date and boost investor confidence in biogas, biomethane and derivatives around the world".

The coalition is demanding urgent action

The Let Green Gas Count campaign, coordinated by eight organisations including the American Biogas Council, European Biogas Association and World Biogas Association, is calling for three specific actions.

The coalition wants the GHG Protocol to issue an interim statement recognising the need for robust market-based instruments.

Signatories are also demanding that the review be fast-tracked rather than waiting until the scheduled 2028 completion date.

The campaign argues that market-based certification schemes, such as guarantees of origin or proof of sustainability certificates, are essential tools to verify the environmental attributes and sustainability of renewable energy sources.

More than 230 organisations within the green gas community had already signed a February 2025 letter to GHG Protocol governance bodies, which has yet to receive a response.

The current push includes signatories from Japan, the United States and across Europe, spanning sectors from airports and steel manufacturing to food production and glass packaging.