Global CMM emissions remain steady despite rising coal production

An Ember report finds that global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions remained broadly steady between 2021 and 2023, despite an 8% increase in global coal production. The report highlights significant discrepancies between official UNFCCC-reported data and independent estimates, noting that six of the nine largest emitters failed to submit official 2023 CMM data.

• Global coal production increased by 8% between 2021 and 2023, rising from 8,100 million tonnes to over 8,650 million tonnes, while CMM emissions remained broadly steady. Global CMM emissions in 2023 were 34.7 million tonnes, representing a 0.6% increase (+0.2 million tonnes) compared to 2021.
• A small number of countries dominate global CMM emissions, with seven nations accounting for 94% of the total. China is the largest emitter, representing 76% of global CMM emissions in 2023 and approximately half of global coal production.
• There are substantial gaps between official UNFCCC-reported CMM emissions and independent estimates from the IEA, GEM, and satellite observations. For example, in South Africa, IEA estimates were 2,300% higher and GEM estimates were 1,800% higher than UNFCCC-derived figures.
• Reported methane emission factors per tonne of coal have declined globally by 0.29 tCH4/kt since 2021. This decline is attributed to operational shifts from underground to surface mining, production moving away from gassy basins, changes in reporting methodology, and the underreporting of emissions from closed mines.
• The 2021 Global Methane Pledge (GMP) aims for 159 signatory countries to reduce annual anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. However, current legislation suggests emissions will rise to 369 million tonnes by 2030 (a 5% increase from 2020), missing the GMP goal and 1.5C pathways.
• Specific national trends vary: India's emissions are rising with production expansion; the US has seen methane intensity increase from 2.7 to 3.3 tCH4/kt since 2007 due to a higher proportion of emissions from closed mines; and Poland's intensity rose to 5.7 tCH4/kt in 2023 as deeper, older mines remain active.

APA

Ember (2026). Global CMM emissions remain steady despite rising coal production. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-cmm-emissions-remain-steady-despite-rising-coal-production/

Chicago

Ember. Global CMM emissions remain steady despite rising coal production. 2026. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-cmm-emissions-remain-steady-despite-rising-coal-production/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Global CMM emissions remain steady despite rising coal production |date=29 April 2026 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-cmm-emissions-remain-steady-despite-rising-coal-production/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2026global, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Global CMM emissions remain steady despite rising coal production}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-cmm-emissions-remain-steady-despite-rising-coal-production/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }