Cutting CMM this decade is urgent and feasible

This report by Ember argues that reducing coal mine methane (CMM) emissions is an urgent and economically feasible way to slow near-term global warming and improve public health. It highlights that a significant portion of CMM can be mitigated using proven technologies like ventilation air methane (VAM) oxidation and drainage systems, with some measures offering negative net costs.

• Mitigating coal mine methane (CMM) is critical for climate goals, as large cuts this decade could prevent 0.2C of warming by 2050 and align with the Global Methane Pledge.
• Implementing all technically feasible methane mitigation measures could prevent more than 180,000 premature deaths annually by 2030, avert nearly 19 million tonnes of annual crop losses, and save nearly 53 billion hours of lost labour for outdoor workers due to extreme heat. The annual monetised value of these benefits exceeds $330 billion USD, while the estimated annual implementation cost is $127 billion USD.
• There is a significant gap between mitigation potential and action: only 130 of 1,800 active mines have reported mitigation projects to the Global Methane Initiative. The IEA estimates that 54% of 2024 global CMM emissions could be mitigated by 2030 at an annual cost of $14.25 billion USD, with 12% achievable at no net cost. UNEP estimates suggest up to 63% of CMM could be mitigated by 2030, delivering 27 million tonnes of reductions for $10.8 billion USD per year, with low-cost measures providing 25 million tonnes of these reductions for $6 billion USD.
• Ventilation air methane (VAM) oxidation, primarily using regenerative thermal oxidisers (RTOs), is the most effective for overall emissions reductions. The IEA estimates that a $2.5 billion USD investment in VAM oxidation could reduce CMM by 23.7% compared to 2024 levels, totaling 9.5 million tonnes. UNECE research indicates that subsidies of $20 USD per tonne of CO2 equivalent for four to five years can make these projects investable.
• Drainage systems are the most cost-effective abatement option because captured methane is often concentrated enough to be used as fuel, generating revenue. The IEA identifies a global abatement potential of 7,460 kilotonnes from drainage systems, with approximately 62% available at negative net cost, representing 95% of all negative cost opportunities in the CMM sector.

APA

Ember (2026). Cutting CMM this decade is urgent and feasible. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/cutting-cmm-this-decade-is-urgent-and-feasible/

Chicago

Ember. Cutting CMM this decade is urgent and feasible. 2026. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/cutting-cmm-this-decade-is-urgent-and-feasible/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Cutting CMM this decade is urgent and feasible |date=29 April 2026 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/cutting-cmm-this-decade-is-urgent-and-feasible/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2026cutting, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Cutting CMM this decade is urgent and feasible}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/cutting-cmm-this-decade-is-urgent-and-feasible/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }