Global CMM emissions remain steady despite rising coal production

Global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions remained broadly steady at 34.7 million tonnes in 2023, despite an 8% increase in global coal production since 2021. This trend undermines the Global Methane Pledge's goal to cut anthropogenic methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Analysis reveals significant data gaps, as six of the nine largest emitters failed to submit official 2023 CMM data to the UNFCCC. Independent estimates from the IEA, GEM, and satellite data often diverge sharply from official figures, particularly in South Africa, Indonesia, and Russia, suggesting widespread underreporting and a reliance on outdated emission factors rather than mine-level measurements.

• Global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions have not decreased since the 2021 Global Methane Pledge, reaching 34.7 million tonnes in 2023, which is 0.6% higher than in 2021.
• Global coal production increased by 8% between 2021 and 2023, rising from 8,100 million tonnes to over 8,650 million tonnes, with 88% being thermal coal for power generation.
• CMM emissions are highly concentrated, with 94% originating from seven countries: China, the United States, Russia, India, Australia, Poland, and Ukraine. China alone accounted for 76% of global CMM emissions in 2023.
• There are severe discrepancies between official UNFCCC data and independent estimates. For example, IEA estimates for South Africa were 2,300% higher than UNFCCC-derived values, and GEM estimates for Indonesia were between 400% and 1,300% higher.
• Reported methane emission factors have declined globally by 0.29 tCH4/kt since 2021, but this is attributed to operational shifts—such as moving production to lower-emitting basins in China or expanding surface mining in Australia—rather than targeted abatement.
• Data transparency is poor, with six of the nine largest emitters failing to submit official CMM data to the UNFCCC in 2023, hindering the ability to track progress toward 1.5C pathways.

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} }