Not Measured, Not Managed: Australia remains ignorant of its coal mine methane problem

Ember's Coal Mine Methane Reporting Data Tracker indicates that Australian coal mines may emit up to double the methane levels reported to the government. The report highlights a significant gap between official UNFCCC figures and independent estimates from the IEA, Global Energy Monitor, and satellite studies, suggesting an annual under-reporting of 680,000 to 1.1 million tonnes of methane. This discrepancy is attributed to the continued use of outdated estimation methods and generic factors under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth). Despite joining the Global Methane Pledge in 2022, Australia lacks a national Methane Action Plan or sectoral targets for energy methane emissions.

• Independent data suggests Australian coal mines could be emitting up to twice the amount of methane reported to the government, with a deviation of over 50% between UNFCCC reports and three assessed independent studies.
• Australia's official 2021 report of 920 thousand tonnes of methane from coal mines is contradicted by three independent sources: the IEA estimated 1.67 million tonnes in 2022 (an 82% under-report), a satellite study by Shen et al found around 1.6 million tonnes from 2018-2020, and Global Energy Monitor estimated up to 2.05 million tonnes in 2022.
• The under-reporting of 680,000 to 1.1 million tonnes of methane annually could increase Australia's total reported methane emissions by up to 20%, representing a 20-year CO2 equivalent of an additional 56-91 million tonnes.
• Australia's reporting is deemed of only 'medium confidence' (scoring four out of six in Ember's tracker) because approximately 80% of coal production can use generic factors for reporting under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth) instead of direct measurement.
• Despite committing to the Global Methane Pledge in 2022, Australia has not established a national Methane Action Plan or sectoral targets to reduce energy methane emissions.

APA

Reynolds, A., & Yeman, D. C. (2023). Not Measured, Not Managed: Australia remains ignorant of its coal mine methane problem. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/FInalEmber_Commentary_Not-Measured-Not-Managed.pdf

Chicago

Reynolds, Annika, and Dr Christiane Yeman. Not Measured, Not Managed: Australia remains ignorant of its coal mine methane problem. Ember, 2023. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/FInalEmber_Commentary_Not-Measured-Not-Managed.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Reynolds |first1=Annika |last2=Yeman |first2=Dr Christiane |title=Not Measured, Not Managed: Australia remains ignorant of its coal mine methane problem |publisher=Ember |date=29 November 2023 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/FInalEmber_Commentary_Not-Measured-Not-Managed.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{reynolds2023not, author = {Reynolds, Annika and Yeman, Dr Christiane}, title = {{Not Measured, Not Managed: Australia remains ignorant of its coal mine methane problem}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/FInalEmber_Commentary_Not-Measured-Not-Managed.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }