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

This report by Ember argues that Australia significantly under-reports methane emissions from its coal mines due to outdated estimation methods and a lack of direct measurement. Using a new Coal Mine Methane Reporting Data Tracker, Ember finds that independent estimates suggest actual emissions could be up to double the figures reported to the government, undermining Australia's net zero 2050 commitment and its obligations under the Global Methane Pledge.

• Independent data suggests Australia may be under-reporting its coal mine methane emissions by between 680,000 and 1.1 million tonnes annually, which could increase the country's reported methane emissions from all sources by up to 20%.
• There is a significant discrepancy between official government figures and independent studies. While Australia reported 920 thousand tonnes of methane from coal mines in 2021, the International Energy Agency's 2023 Methane Tracker estimated 2022 emissions at 1.67 million tonnes (an 82% under-report), Shen et al estimated 1.6 million tonnes for 2018-2020, and Global Energy Monitor estimated up to 2.05 million tonnes in 2022.
• Australia's reporting framework is deemed insufficient, receiving a score of four out of six in Ember's Coal Mine Methane Data Tracker. This is attributed to a reliance on outdated estimation methods; approximately 80% of coal production can report emissions using generic factors under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth) rather than using actual measurements.
• Despite joining the Global Methane Pledge in 2022 and committing to take strong action on methane, Australia has not developed a national Methane Action Plan or set 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} }