❗️European Union delays methane reporting rules due to US-Israeli war on Iran The Council of the European Union has agreed to postpone by one year key environmental regulations requiring oil, gas, and coal importers to monitor and report methane emissions, directly citing severe global energy market volatility resulting from the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran. Under the negotiating stance adopted by member states on Friday, monitoring, reporting, and verification obligations for fossil fuel importers will be pushed back from 1 January 2027 to 1 January 2028, aligning with a proposal put forward by the European Commission following intense lobbying from France and Washington. According to Al Jazeera, European officials framed the delay as a necessary compromise to secure energy imports and mitigate surging domestic fuel prices. "There are significant pressures on global energy markets, which are driving up energy prices across the EU," declared Darragh O’Brien, Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy, and the Environment, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency. The decision sets up upcoming negotiations with the European Parliament, which previously voted in favor of a broader three-year delay.