2007 Press Release

International Partnership Event in China Builds Momentum to Fight      
 Climate Change - Methane to Markets Expo in Beijing Showcases 91       
 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Opportunities

Release date: 10/31/2007

(Washington, D.C. - Oct. 31, 2007) The Methane to Markets Partnership  
 Expo in Beijing this week has attracted more than 700 participants from
 34 countries, demonstrating widespread international interest and      
 commitment to a growing public-private partnership that cuts potent    
 greenhouse gas emissions while promoting the use of clean energy.

The expo, which began on Tuesday and runs through Thursday, is being   
 co-hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and China's      
 National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and supported by    
 several key international public and private-sector organizations.

"The Bush Administration knows the challenge of global climate change  
 is exactly that – global," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.  
 "America is committed to being a good international neighbor, and      
 together with our partners, we are working toward a cleaner, healthier,
 more productive world."

The expo features an "International Methane Capture Marketplace," the  
 first international forum devoted to the promotion of methane          
 recovery-and-use projects. The marketplace is showcasing 91 potential  
 projects in the agriculture, coal, landfill, and oil and gas sectors   
 that promise to deliver significant clean development and climate      
 change benefits throughout the world. These projects will capture and  
 utilize methane as a clean energy source. If fully implemented, these  
 projects are estimated to yield annual methane emissions reductions of 
 11.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2015.

"The Methane to Markets Expo is an important meeting held for the first
 time in China," said Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of NDRC. "It will      
 promote technical and economic cooperation in the realm of methane     
 emission reductions among all countries. It will provide more financing
 channels and technical support, and accelerate development of methane  
 recovery and utilization."

The expo also provided the opportunity for EPA to announce a grant     
 competition that will begin in the next few weeks, providing up to $7  
 million for international projects and activities to advance recovery  
 and use of methane.

In addition, EPA announced that it is working with China to conduct a  
 coal mine methane capture-and-use feasibility study in 2008. This is a 
 first step toward the U.S.-China goal of establishing 15 coal mine     
 methane projects as a part of the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED).   
 The SED, established in September 2006, provides a framework for the   
 United States and China to discuss ways they can work together to      
 address economic challenges and opportunities. The coal mine study will
 support the Methane to Markets Partnership and the Asia-Pacific        
 Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.

The expo is the largest Methane to Markets event to date. The Methane  
 to Markets Partnership was founded by the United States and 13 other   
 countries in 2004, and focuses on advancing cost-effective, near-term  
 capture and use of methane from agricultural operations, underground   
 coal mines, landfills, and natural gas and oil systems. A primary      
 component of natural gas, methane is a greenhouse gas over twenty times
 more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere;    
 methane is also a valuable clean energy resource. As of 2007, a total  
 of 20 developed and developing countries and the European Commission   
 have joined the partnership, and more than 640 private sector and      
 non-governmental organizations have signed on to participate in        
 project-investment and project-development activities.

For more information about the partnership and the expo:               
 epa.gov/methanetomarkets

For information about the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development
 and Climate: http://www.asiapacificpartnership.org