## MiQ 'Grade A' Gas Certification Under Fire: Guardian Investigation Alleges Methane Emissions Understated
A flagship certification scheme designed to verify low-methane natural gas may be systematically underreporting the very emissions it is meant to guarantee. A Guardian investigation into MiQ, the UK nonprofit whose 'Grade A' rating is used by energy giants like BP, ExxonMobil, and EQT to comply with EU regulations, reveals potential flaws in the voluntary model. The findings raise serious questions about the integrity of a system increasingly relied upon to greenlight gas imports into Europe.

The investigation centers on MiQ's certification of US gas production sites. Producers use MiQ's 'A' grade to demonstrate compliance with the stringent European Union Methane Regulation (EUMR), a key policy for curbing energy-related emissions. However, evidence suggests the on-the-ground reality at certified facilities may involve 'invisible plumes' and 'terrible pollution' not fully captured by MiQ's assessment. This gap between the certified grade and actual emissions exposes a critical weakness in a market-driven approach to environmental oversight.

The implications are significant for both climate policy and corporate accountability. If the certification is unreliable, it undermines the EU's regulatory framework and allows 'greener' gas claims to enter the market based on potentially flawed data. This places pressure not only on MiQ to defend its methodology but also on the major energy firms and European regulators who depend on such certifications to meet climate targets. The investigation signals mounting scrutiny of voluntary environmental standards and the real-world data behind 'clean' fossil fuel marketing.
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- **Source**: Guardian Environment
- **Sector**: The Network
- **Tags**: Methane Emissions, Gas Certification, EU Regulation, BP, ExxonMobil
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-04-02 04:56:48
- **ID**: 46610
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/46610