Closing the gap

This report by Ember outlines recommendations for reducing coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, emphasizing the need for direct measurement, satellite verification, and international financial support for low-income countries to align with 1.5 degrees Celsius climate goals.

• To align with the IEA's Net Zero analysis for 1.5 degrees, coal mine methane emissions need to be reduced by 75% by 2030. Current global and national estimates often rely on inventories and default factors that fail to accurately reflect actual emissions.
• Ember recommends that governments mandate all coal mines—including underground, surface, and decommissioned sites—to directly measure and monitor methane emissions continuously. These measurements should be verified using top-down methods and aligned with MRV guidelines from the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO).
• Governments should utilize satellite technology and aerial flyovers to verify company-reported emissions and make mine-level data public. Specific satellite constellations and missions such as MethaneSat, GHGsat, Carbon Mapper, EMIT, CHIME, and EnMAP are identified as tools to identify 'super-gassy mines' and improve tracking.
• The IEA estimates that 53% of global CMM emissions can be avoided using existing technologies, with 13% achievable at no net cost. Ember argues that middle-high income countries that use coal mined in lower income countries should provide financial and technical assistance to help those countries implement National Methane Plans and MRV practices.

APA

Ember (2023). Closing the gap. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/recommendations-cmm/

Chicago

Ember. Closing the gap. 2023. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/recommendations-cmm/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Closing the gap |date=28 November 2023 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/recommendations-cmm/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2023closing, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Closing the gap}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/recommendations-cmm/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }