Tackling Australia’s Coal Mine Methane Problem

This report by Ember analyzes the scale of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions in Australia, arguing that official figures are significantly underreported and that these emissions pose a major threat to Australia's 2030 climate targets. The document highlights the disparity between government estimates and satellite data, particularly in the Bowen Basin, and examines the impact of proposed new coal mines in Queensland and New South Wales. It recommends a transition to direct measurement, the implementation of methane abatement technologies like VAM oxidation, and the phasing out of coal, starting with the highest-emitting mines.

• Coal mine methane (CMM) is a dominant source of energy-related methane in Australia. In 2019, coal mines released 68% of the country's methane emissions from the energy industry, which is nearly three times the amount released by the oil and gas industry (329 Kt).
• Official government estimates of CMM emissions are likely significantly lower than actual levels. While the Australian Greenhouse Emissions Information System (AGEIS) reported 898,000 tonnes of methane in 2019, the IEA estimated that Australian coal mines emitted 1.8 million tonnes in 2021. Satellite data from the Bowen Basin suggests emissions could be nearly double the entire reported CMM emissions for Australia.
• Methane emissions are highly concentrated among a small number of 'super emitters'. In Queensland, the Capcoal and Moranabah North mines (both operated by AngloAmerican) accounted for approximately 29% of CER reported coal mining emissions in 2019, despite producing only 6% of the state's net coal output. In New South Wales, the Appin and Tahmoor underground mines emitted 24% of reported coal emissions while producing less than 3% of the state's coal.

APA

Assan, S. (2022). Tackling Australia’s Coal Mine Methane Problem. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/Ember-Tackling-Australias-Coal-Mine-Methane-Problem-v10.22.pdf

Chicago

Assan, Sabina. Tackling Australia’s Coal Mine Methane Problem. Ember, 2022. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/Ember-Tackling-Australias-Coal-Mine-Methane-Problem-v10.22.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Assan |first1=Sabina |title=Tackling Australia’s Coal Mine Methane Problem |publisher=Ember |date=8 June 2022 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/Ember-Tackling-Australias-Coal-Mine-Methane-Problem-v10.22.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{assan2022tackling, author = {Assan, Sabina}, title = {{Tackling Australia’s Coal Mine Methane Problem}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/Ember-Tackling-Australias-Coal-Mine-Methane-Problem-v10.22.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }