The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a proposal to regulate methane from oil and gas sources, touting the rules as having the potential to produce immediate emissions cuts and hoping the proposal will bolster U.S. clout at the ongoing U.N. climate conference.

Methane, the main component of natural gas, is less known than carbon, the biggest contributor to climate change. But emissions from methane are driving more than 25% of global warming, mostly caused purposely or accidentally by leaks during production and transportation of natural gas. Those methane leaks could offset the carbon reduction benefits of the switch in recent years from coal to natural gas and renewables for generating electricity in the United States.