In The Dark: underreporting of coal mine methane is a major climate risk

This report by Ember analyzes the underreporting of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, finding that global emissions may be up to twice as high as government figures reported to the UNFCCC. It highlights systemic failures in monitoring, noting that 97% of reported emissions rely on general emission factors rather than direct measurement, and recommends mandatory direct monitoring, satellite verification, and international support for low-income countries to mitigate this potent greenhouse gas.

• Global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions are likely significantly higher than official government reports. While data reported to the UNFCCC indicates annual emissions of 30.5 million tonnes, independent studies analyzed by Ember suggest the actual range is between 38 and 67 million tonnes per year.
• The climate impact of CMM is substantial; based on government data, it is equivalent to 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2 (using a 20-year global warming potential), which exceeds the total CO2 emissions of India. At the highest independent estimates, the warming impact is comparable to the total annual CO2 emissions of the United States.
• There is a critical lack of direct measurement in national reporting. Approximately 97% of reported CMM emissions are calculated using standard emission factors for regions rather than direct measurements from mines. Only Poland and Ukraine were identified as countries that directly measure the majority of their methane emissions from hard coal underground mines.
• Many major coal-producing nations fail to report emissions annually. For example, China last reported in 2014, South Africa in 2017, and India in 2016. Some countries with significant coal sectors, including Pakistan, Mozambique, and Bangladesh, have never reported their emissions.
• Independent estimates suggest severe underreporting in specific countries. South Africa may emit 7 to 14 times more than reported, Indonesia between 5 to 30 times more, and Germany between 9 to 53 times more than official figures for active mining operations.
• In Australia, while underground mines are measured, open-cut mines (which make up nearly 75% of the industry) rely on outdated emission factors. A case study of Glencore’s Hail Creek mine in Queensland found a methane intensity 30 times higher than the state-based emission factor used for Queensland open-cut mines.
• Ember proposes three primary recommendations: requiring all mines (including decommissioned ones) to directly measure and report emissions, implementing government-led satellite verification and public data disclosure, and providing financial and technical assistance to low-income countries to implement monitoring and capture technologies.

APA

Assan, S., & Whittle, E. (2023). In The Dark: underreporting of coal mine methane is a major climate risk. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/11/In-The-Dark_-underreporting-of-coal-mine-methane-is-a-major-climate-risk.pdf

Chicago

Assan, Sabina, and Eleanor Whittle. In The Dark: underreporting of coal mine methane is a major climate risk. Ember, 2023. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/11/In-The-Dark_-underreporting-of-coal-mine-methane-is-a-major-climate-risk.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Assan |first1=Sabina |last2=Whittle |first2=Eleanor |title=In The Dark: underreporting of coal mine methane is a major climate risk |publisher=Ember |date=28 November 2023 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/11/In-The-Dark_-underreporting-of-coal-mine-methane-is-a-major-climate-risk.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{assan2023dark, author = {Assan, Sabina and Whittle, Eleanor}, title = {{In The Dark: underreporting of coal mine methane is a major climate risk}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/11/In-The-Dark_-underreporting-of-coal-mine-methane-is-a-major-climate-risk.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }